Sample records for single blastocyst transfer

Objective To study the clinical outcomes of single frozen-thawed blastocysttransfer cycles according to the hatching status of frozen-thawed blastocysts. Methods Frozen-thawed blastocysts were divided into three groups according to their hatching status as follows: less-than-expanded blastocyst (≤EdB), hatching blastocyst (HgB), and hatched blastocyst (HdB). The female age and infertility factors of each group were evaluated. The quality of the single frozen-thawed blastocyst was also graded as grade A, tightly packed inner cell mass (ICM) and many cells organized in the trophectoderm epithelium (TE); grade B, several and loose ICM and TE; and grade C, very few ICM and a few cells in the TE. The clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were compared between each group. The data were analyzed by either t-test or chi-square analysis. Results There were no statistically significant differences in average female ages, infertility factors, or the distribution of blastocyst grades A, B, and C in each group. There was no significant difference in the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate of each group according to their blastocyst grade. However, there was a significant difference in the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate between each group. In the HdB group, the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were similar regardless of the blastocyst quality. Conclusion There was an effect on the clinical outcomes depending on whether the blastocyst hatched during single frozen-thawed blastocysttransfer. When performing single frozen-thawed blastocysttransfer, the hatching status of the frozen-thawed blastocyst may be a more important parameter for clinical outcomes than the quality of the frozen-thawed blastocyst. PMID:27358829

AIM: To evaluate the credibility of singleblastocysttransfer (SBT) method in selected group of patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of SBT cases based on computerized data in a private Fertility research centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 604 cases of SBTs, done during June 2000 to June 2006, have been analyzed retrospectively to assess the credibility of the method as a method of choice in selective high fertile group of patients. Women between 28 and 42 years have been included in the retrospective analysis, who had adequate number of eggs for fertilization, between 6 and 12. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Grade I blastocysttransfer resulted in 46.6% of clinical pregnancy and grade II blastocysttransfer resulted in 17.4% of clinical pregnancy rates. Overall pregnancy rate was 64%. Pregnancy loss, as early and late fetal wastages, was 11.06%. PMID:19562057

Objective: To investigate the singleblastocysttransfer in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)/preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) cycles. Methods: 80 PGD/PGS cycles undergoing blastocyst biopsy were studied. There were 88 warming cycles during the study period. Only one warmed blastocyst was transferred per cycle. The outcomes were followed up to the infants were born. Results: The embryo implantation rate was 54.55% (48/88). The clinical pregnancy rate was 54.55% (48/88) per transfer cycle and 60% (48/80) per initial PGD/PGS cycle. There was no multi-pregnant in this study. The live birth rate was 42.05% (37/88) per transfer cycle and 46.25% (37/80) per initial PGD/PGS cycle. Conclusion: In PGD/PGS cycles, singleblastocysttransfer reduces the multiple pregnancy rate without affecting the clinical outcomes. PMID:26885112

Numerous spontaneous pregnancies have been reported in renal transplant recipients; however, only a few pregnancies after the use of assisted reproductive techniques. The authors report a case of renal transplant recipient with secondary infertility who delivered a healthy baby without any complications. The report highlights the importance of minimal stimulation protocol during ovarian stimulation, single embryo transfer, and the need for multispecialty care for these patients. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the present report is the first such case from India and also the second in the world to report a blastocysttransfer among renal transplant recipients. PMID:27110079

Background Single embryo transfer (SET) remains underutilized as a strategy to reduce multiple gestation risk in IVF, and its overall lower pregnancy rate underscores the need for improved techniques to select one embryo for fresh transfer. This study explored use of comprehensive chromosomal screening by array CGH (aCGH) to provide this advantage and improve pregnancy rate from SET. Methods First-time IVF patients with a good prognosis (age <35, no prior miscarriage) and normal karyotype seeking elective SET were prospectively randomized into two groups: In Group A, embryos were selected on the basis of morphology and comprehensive chromosomal screening via aCGH (from d5 trophectoderm biopsy) while Group B embryos were assessed by morphology only. All patients had a single fresh blastocysttransferred on d6. Laboratory parameters and clinical pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups. Results For patients in Group A (n = 55), 425 blastocysts were biopsied and analyzed via aCGH (7.7 blastocysts/patient). Aneuploidy was detected in 191/425 (44.9%) of blastocysts in this group. For patients in Group B (n = 48), 389 blastocysts were microscopically examined (8.1 blastocysts/patient). Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the morphology + aCGH group compared to the morphology-only group (70.9 and 45.8%, respectively; p = 0.017); ongoing pregnancy rate for Groups A and B were 69.1 vs. 41.7%, respectively (p = 0.009). There were no twin pregnancies. Conclusion Although aCGH followed by frozen embryo transfer has been used to screen at risk embryos (e.g., known parental chromosomal translocation or history of recurrent pregnancy loss), this is the first description of aCGH fully integrated with a clinical IVF program to select singleblastocysts for fresh SET in good prognosis patients. The observed aneuploidy rate (44.9%) among biopsied blastocysts highlights the inherent imprecision of SET when conventional morphology is used

Improved laboratory standards and better culture media have made extended culture to blastocyst stage a reality to identify embryos with maximum implantation potential. The strategy of extended culture has become more popular across the world at a time when regulatory bodies have emphasized the need to increase the uptake of elective single embryo transfer, minimize complications associated with multiple births and aim for a healthy singleton live-birth as the preferred outcome in IVF. New data on perinatal outcomes suggest that pregnancies after embryo transfer at blastocyst stage are associated with a higher risk of preterm delivery, large for gestational age babies, monozygotic twins and altered sex ratio compared with those following embryo transfers at cleavage stage. In addition, concerns have been raised of increased congenital anomalies and epigenetic modifications with embryo transfer at blastocyst stage. Twenty-four years on from the first embryo transfer at blastocyst stage, we examine the reasons for extended embryo culture, evaluate the risks and benefits of this strategy and suggest the need to reconsider this policy in the interests of fetal safety. PMID:26673100

Objective To determine the incidence of embryo retention (ER) in the transfer catheter following embryo transfer (ET) in blastocysttransfer and investigate whether retransferring retained embryos has an impact on reproductive outcomes in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-ET. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the records of 1,131 blastocysttransfers, which comprised 223 singleblastocysttransfer (SBT) and 908 double blastocysttransfer (DBT) cycles. Each SBT and DBT group was classified depending on whether ET was performed without retained embryos in the catheter during the first attempt (without-ER group) or whether any retained embryos were found following ET (ER group) for the purpose of comparing reproductive outcomes in a homogenous population. Results The overall incidence of finding retained embryos was 2.8% (32/1,131). There were no retained embryos in SBT cycles. In DBT cycles, implantation rates (30.0% vs. 26.6%), positive β-hCG rates (57.2% vs. 56.2%), clinical pregnancy rates (45.3% vs. 46.9%), and live birth rates (38.9% vs. 43.8%) were not significantly different between the without-ER and ER groups. There were no significant differences in the mean birth weight (g) 2,928.4±631.8 vs. 2,948.7±497.8 and the mean gestational age at birth (269.3±17.2 days vs. 264.2±25.7 days). A total of nine cases of congenital birth defects were found in this study population. Eight were observed in the without-ER group and one in the ER group. Conclusion Our results suggest that retransfer of retained embryos does not have any adverse impact on reproductive outcomes in blastocysttransfer cycles. Furthermore, our results support finding that SBT might be advantageous for decreasing the incidence of retained embryos in catheters. PMID:27358833

Reprogramming incompletely occurs in most somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, which results in misregulation of developmentally important genes and subsequent embryonic malfunction and lethality. Here we examined transcriptome profiles in single bovine blastocysts derived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and SCNT. Different types of donor cells, cumulus cell and ear-skin fibroblast, were used to derive cSCNT and fSCNT blastocysts, respectively. SCNT blastocysts expressed 13,606 genes on average, similar to IVF (13,542). Correlation analysis found that both cSCNT and fSCNT blastocyst groups had transcriptomic features distinctive from the IVF group, with the cSCNT transcriptomes closer to the IVF ones than the fSCNT. Gene expression analysis identified 56 underrepresented and 78 overrepresented differentially expressed genes in both SCNT groups. A 400-kb locus harboring zinc-finger protein family genes in chromosome 18 were found coordinately down-regulated in fSCNT blastocysts, showing a feature of reprogramming-resistant regions. Probing into different categories of genes important for blastocyst development revealed that genes involved in trophectoderm development frequently were underrepresented, and those encoding epigenetic modifiers tended to be overrepresented in SCNT blastocysts. Our effort to identify reprogramming-resistant, differentially expressed genes can help map reprogramming error-prone loci onto the genome and elucidate how to handle the stochastic events of reprogramming to improve cloning efficiency. PMID:26342001

Reprogramming incompletely occurs in most somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, which results in misregulation of developmentally important genes and subsequent embryonic malfunction and lethality. Here we examined transcriptome profiles in single bovine blastocysts derived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and SCNT. Different types of donor cells, cumulus cell and ear-skin fibroblast, were used to derive cSCNT and fSCNT blastocysts, respectively. SCNT blastocysts expressed 13,606 genes on average, similar to IVF (13,542). Correlation analysis found that both cSCNT and fSCNT blastocyst groups had transcriptomic features distinctive from the IVF group, with the cSCNT transcriptomes closer to the IVF ones than the fSCNT. Gene expression analysis identified 56 underrepresented and 78 overrepresented differentially expressed genes in both SCNT groups. A 400-kb locus harboring zinc-finger protein family genes in chromosome 18 were found coordinately down-regulated in fSCNT blastocysts, showing a feature of reprogramming-resistant regions. Probing into different categories of genes important for blastocyst development revealed that genes involved in trophectoderm development frequently were underrepresented, and those encoding epigenetic modifiers tended to be overrepresented in SCNT blastocysts. Our effort to identify reprogramming-resistant, differentially expressed genes can help map reprogramming error-prone loci onto the genome and elucidate how to handle the stochastic events of reprogramming to improve cloning efficiency. PMID:26342001

ET is a critical step in an assisted reproduction cycle. Over the past decade there has been an increasing trend to extending culture from cleavage-stage to blastocysttransfer. There has also been a trend to single ET and reporting the success of an assisted reproductive cycle as a cumulative live-birth rate after using both fresh and frozen embryos. There is low evidence that fresh blastocysttransfer is associated with improved live-birth rates compared with fresh cleavage-stage embryos. However, in the few studies that report cumulative pregnancy rates after fresh and frozen transfers, no significant difference was found. Cleavage-stage transfer is associated with greater numbers of embryos available for freezing, and blastocysttransfer is associated with increased number of cycles with no embryos to transfer. Further well-designed studies are warranted to evaluate the outcomes for blastocysttransfer including cumulative live-birth rate after fresh and frozen transfers, time to live birth, costs of the different transfer strategies, and perinatal mortality and severe perinatal morbidity. PMID:27421614

Background Increasing evidence indicates that closed vitrification has been successfully used in the cryopreservation of human oocytes and embryos. Little information is available regarding the neonatal outcome of closed blastocysts vitrification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of blastocyst vitrification using a high-security closed vitrification system compared with an open vitrification system. Methods A total of 332 vitrified-warmed blastocysttransfer cycles between April 2010 and May 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. The post-thaw survival rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate, and neonatal outcome were recorded. Results There were no significant differences between the open vitrification group and the close vitrification group regarding the post-thaw survival rate (98% versus 95.8%), clinical pregnancy rate (47.6% versus 42.2%), implantation rate (42.9% versus 35.6%), and live birth rate (39.8% versus 32.1%). In total, 332 warming cycles produced 131 healthy babies. There were no significant differences in the mean gestational age, the birth weight, and the birth length between the two groups. No adverse neonatal outcomes were observed in the children born after the transfer of closed vitrified blastocysts compared with the transfer of open vitrified blastocysts. Conclusions These data suggest that blastocyst vitrification using a closed vitrification device seems safe and effective with results comparable to those obtained through open vitrification. PMID:24256633

Although healthy infants have developed from non- and mono-pronuclear zygotes, the transfer of embryos from non- and mono-pronuclear zygotes is not recommended because there are no proper selection criteria. In the present study, we discuss how to select non- and mono-pronuclear embryos with the highest developmental potential at 19-20 hours post-insemination. We found that the percentage of blastocysts with normal chromosome constitution in non-pronuclear zygotes was slightly higher than in mono-pronuclear zygotes. Non- and mono-pronuclear embryos that were at the 4-cell stage on D2 and/or at the 6- to 8-cell stage on D3 had higher incidence rates of blastocysts with normal chromosome constitutions. We also found higher incidences of blastocysts with normal chromosome constitution on D6 than on D5. The results suggest that if high quality non- and mono-pronuclear zygotes develop to the 4-cell stage on D2 and the 6-to 8- cell stages on D3, along with high quality D6 blastocysts, the incidence of blastocysts with normal chromosome constitution is higher. PMID:26901373

Conceptus size on Day 14 after multiple embryo transfer of Day 7 in vitro-produced blastocysts varies greatly within animal. One explanation for this variation may be related to blastocyst cell number at the time of transfer. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Day 7 blastocyst cell number on Day 14 conceptus size and to examine the effect of progesterone (P4) supplementation on embryo development after the transfer of Day 7 blastocysts containing a low total cell number. The estrous cycles of crossbred beef heifers were synchronized using an 8-day progesterone (P4)-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) with the administration of a prostaglandin F2α analog on the day before device removal. Only those heifers recorded in standing estrus (Day 0) were used. Heifers were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: (1) control: large blastocysts (high total cell number), (2) control: small blastocysts (low total cell number), (3) small blastocysts plus a single intramuscular injection of 3000 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on Day 2 after estrus, or (4) small blastocysts plus insertion of a vaginal P4 insert (PRID, 1.55 g P4) between Days 3 and 5 after estrus. In vitro-produced blastocysts were transferred to each heifer on Day 7 (n = 10 blastocysts per heifer), and conceptuses were recovered at slaughter on Day 14. Daily blood samples were collected from Day 0 to 14 to measure serum P4 concentrations. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS. Total cell number on Day 7 was significantly lower in small versus large blastocysts (72.4 ± 3.93 vs. 144.8 ± 3.90, P < 0.05). Conceptus recovery rate was 53.8% overall (140 of 260) and was highest in the large blastocyst group (68.3%, 41 of 60) compared with the other groups (45.7%-55.0%). Concentrations of serum P4 were similar in the two unmanipulated recipient groups but were significantly elevated (P < 0.05) by Day 8 in the hCG-treated heifers and on Days 4 and 5 in the PRID group

Successful cryopreservation of porcine embryos offers a promising perspective in the fields of agriculture, animal science, and human medical research. The objective of the present work was to establish a system facilitating the cryopreservation of porcine embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Several key techniques including micromanipulator-based enucleation, noninvasive delipation, zona-free fusion, and activation were combined with high efficiency. After a partial zona digestion and high-speed centrifugation, 89.8+/-2.1% (mean+/-SEM) of enucleated oocytes were successfully delipated. Delipated cytoplasts were incubated for an additional 0.5 or 2 h before fusion with somatic cells. After activation and 6 days of in vitro culture, no significant difference in the rate of blastocysts per reconstructed embryo was observed between the two groups (33.1+/-1.8% and 26.0+/-4.3% for 0.5 and 2 h recovery time, respectively). Cryopreservation of the blastocysts was performed with a Cryotop device and factory-prepared vitrification and warming solutions. One hundred fifty-five vitrified SCNT embryos were transferred surgically into two recipient sows to test their developmental capacity in vivo. One recipient became pregnant and delivered six piglets. In conclusion, our simplified delipation and SCNT procedure resulted in viable piglets after vitrification and embryo transfer at the blastocyst stage. PMID:18154508

Objective To evaluate the effect of hyaluronan-rich transfer medium on pregnancy and implantation rates in fresh and frozen-thawed embryo transfers in Korean women with previous implantation failure. Methods This retrospective study included 283 blastocysttransfers in patients with previous embryo transfer failure at a private fertility clinic. In the study group (n=88), blastocysttransfers were performed using an hyaluronan-rich transfer medium prior to transfer, whereas blastocysttransfers without any treatment served as controls (n=195). According to the type of transfer (fresh elective or frozen-thawed), all the blastocysttransfers were divided into two study and two control groups. Results The patient's mean age, serum anti-Müllerian hormone level, causes of infertility, embryo quality, and the number of transferred embryos were comparable between the study and control groups. There were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate (45.5% vs. 43.1%), implantation rate (28.9% vs. 28.8%), and clinical abortion rate (10.0% vs. 8.3%) between the two groups, and these findings were not changed after subgroup analysis according to the type of transfer. Conclusion The use of hyaluronan-rich transfer medium in the blastocysttransfer does not appear to have any significant effect on the implantation and pregnancy rates in patients with previous implantation failure. PMID:27200310

Y-27632 is a specific inhibitor of Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs), which are downstream effectors of Rho GTPase. The present study aimed to determine the effect of the specific ROCK inhibitor, Y-27632, on fresh human embryos and on single blastomeres obtained from discarded human embryos. A total of 784 poor-quality embryos were included, of which 526 were allocated to blastocyst culture directly and the remaining 258 were allocated to blastomere isolation. Embryos and single blastomeres were cultured either with, or without, Y-27632. Embryonic development was observed and recorded daily from day 5 onwards. Y-27632 did not affect the ratio of blastocyst formation or the quality of the human embryos. The duration of blastocyst formation was compared between the two groups in the embryo culture. On day 5, the blastocyst formation ratio in the experimental group was 11.4% (26/228), which was significantly (P=0.015) lower than the corresponding rate (19.7%; 44/223) in the control group. Survival analysis of the blastocyst formation duration showed that the median formation duration in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. The present study also obtained 1,192 blastomeres from 258 discarded day 3 embryos, and sibling blastomeres of similar sizes were equally allocated to experimental and control groups (n=596 in each). Treatment with Y-27632 increased the blastocyst formation ratio of human individual blastomeres, with 82 blastocysts of 596 blastomeres (13.8%), and 51 blastocysts of 596 blastomeres (8.6%) formed in the presence and absence of Y-27632, respectively (P=0.004). Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin in the blastocysts from blastomeres were enhanced by Y-27632 (P=0.022). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that Y-27632 has different effects on the cleavage-stage of embryos and single blastomeres. Y-27632 increases the ratio of formation of blastocysts

Time-lapse imaging is increasingly applied as an adjunct to reproductive medicine. The gained information of the morphological and morphokinetic variables before the onset of transcription are supposed to be good predictors for the selection of the best embryo for transfer and are often seen in line with clinical outcomes. This retrospective case series investigated the outcome of transferredblastocysts that did not fulfil the proposed embryo scores at early cleavage or at later stages of development. The observations were made by time-lapse imaging. This study reports the birth of 16 healthy children after day-5 blastocysttransfer, of which at least one of the transferred embryos originated from deviant morphology and/or kinetic cleavage patterns. This case series suggests that some blastocysts derived from embryos with poor conventional morphological score and/or suboptimal morphokinetics can be successfully transferred and might result in live births. Such results might raise awareness that discarding embryos based only on early events is not a suitable approach to give patients the chance to conceive. In conclusion, to date only the transfer of viable embryos after culturing them until day 5 guarantees optimal embryo selection and helps to prevent embryo wastage. PMID:24581992

Background Microinjection of clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-related RNA and DNA into fertilized eggs is a novel approach for creating gene-modified mice. Blastocysts obtained just before implantation may be appropriate for testing the fidelity of CRIPSR/Cas9-mediated genome editing because they can be individually handled in vitro and obtained 3 days after microinjection, thus allowing researchers to check mutations rapidly. However, it is not known whether indel mutations caused by the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be reproducibly detected in embryos. In this study, we assessed the detection of CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations in embryos. Results T7 endonuclease I was more effective than Surveyor nuclease for detecting mutations in annealed fragments derived from 2 plasmids, which contained nearly identical sequences. Mouse fertilized eggs were microinjected with CRISPR/Cas9-related RNA/DNA to examine whether non-homologous end joining-mediated knockout and homologous recombination-mediated knockin occurred in the endogenous receptor (G protein-coupled) activity modifying protein 2 (Ramp2) gene. Individual blastocysts were lysed to obtain crude DNA solutions, which were used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. T7 endonuclease I-based PCR and sequencing analysis demonstrated that 25–100% of the embryos were knockout embryos and 7–57% of the embryos were knockin embryos. Our results also established that crude DNA from a singleblastocyst was an appropriate template for Whole genome amplification and subsequent assessment by PCR and the T7 endonuclease I-based assay. Conclusions The singleblastocyst-based assay was useful for determining whether CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing worked in murine embryos. PMID:25042988

Multigene transgenic pigs would be of benefit for large animal models and in particular for xenotransplantation, where extensive genetic manipulation of donor pigs is required to make them suitable for organ grafting to humans. We have previously produced multitransgenic pigs via sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) using integrative constructs expressing 3 different reporter genes. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using 3 integrative constructs carrying 3 different human genes involved in the modulation of inflammatory responses. We developed an in vitro fertilization system to demonstrate that SMGT can be used to efficiently produce multigene transgenic embryos through a 1-step genetic modification using multiple integrative constructs each carrying a different human gene involved in the modulation of inflammatory processes (hHO1, hCD39, and hCD73). The results suggest that this system allowed an effective preliminary test of transgenesis optimization, greatly reducing the number of animals used in the experiments and fulfilling important ethical issues. We performed 5 in vitro fertilization experiments using sperm cells preincubated with all 3 integrative constructs. A total of 1,498 oocytes were fertilized to obtain 775 embryos, among which 340 further developed into blastocysts. We did not observe any toxicity related to the transgenesis procedure that affected normal embryo development. We observed 68.5% transgenesis efficiency. Blastocysts were 48% single, 31% double, and 21% triple transgenic. PMID:20692428

Nuclear transfer (NT) is associated with epigenetic reprogramming of donor cells. Expression of certain genes in these cells might facilitate their expression in the NT embryo. This research was aimed to investigate the effect of constitutive expression of OCT4 in bovine somatic cells used for NT on the developmental potential of derived cloned embryos as well as in the expression of pluripotency markers in the Day-7 resulting embryos. Cloned blastocysts were generated from five cell lines that expressed OCT4. Pools of blastocysts were screened to detect OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG by qPCR. In vitro-fertilized time-matched blastocysts were used as controls. The development potential was assessed on the basis of blastocysts rate; grading and total cell counts at Day 7. OCT4 expression in the cell lines positively correlates with blastocysts rate (r = 0.92; p = 0.02), number of grade I blastocysts (r = 0.96; p = 0.01), and total cell number (r = 0.98; p = 0.002). The high expression of OCT4 in the cell line did not improve the final outcome of cloning. Somatic expression of OCT4 lead to increased expression of OCT4 and SOX2 in cloned grade I blastocysts; however, there was a bigger variability in OCT4 and SOX2 (p = 0.03; p = 0.02) expression in the embryos generated from cells expressing highest levels of OCT4. Probably the higher variability in OCT4 expression in cloned embryos is due to incorrect reprogramming and incapability of the oocyte to correct for higher OCT4 levels. For that reason, we concluded that OCT4 expression in somatic cells is not a good prognosis marker for selecting cell lines. PMID:23846396

Background Extended in vitro embryo culture and blastocysttransfer have emerged as essential components of the advanced reproductive technology armamentarium, permitting selection of more advanced embryos considered best suited for transfer. Aim of study The aim of this study was to compare between cleavage stage and blastocyst stage embryo transfer in patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and to assess the role of assisted hatching technique in patients undergoing blastocysttransfer. Patients and methods This study was carried out on two groups. Group I: 110 patients who underwent 120 cycles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection with day 2–3 embryo transfer—for unexplained infertility or male factor within the previous 3 years. Their data obtained retrospectively from medical records. Group II: 46 age matched infertile female patients undergoing 51 intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles for similar causes. Patients in Group II were further subdivided into 2 equal subgroups; Group IIa (23 patients), which had laser assisted hatching and Group IIb (23 patients), which did not have assisted hatching. All patients had an infertility workup including basal hormonal profile, pelvic ultrasound, hysterosalpingogram and/or laparoscope and semen analysis of the patient’s partner. All patients underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation: Using long protocol of ovulation induction. Laser assisted hatching was done for blastocysts of 23 patients. Results Comparison between both groups as regards the reproductive outcome showed a significant difference in pregnancy and implantation rates, both being higher in group II (P < 0.05) Comparison between both subgroups as regards the reproductive outcome showed a highly significant difference in pregnancy and implantation rates, both being higher in Group IIa (P < 0.01). There was also a significantly higher rate of multiple pregnancies among Group IIa (P < 0.05). Conclusion Blastocysttransfer is a successful

Human preimplantation embryo development involves complex cellular and molecular events that lead to the establishment of three cell lineages in the blastocyst: trophectoderm, primitive endoderm, and epiblast. Owing to limited resources of biological specimens, our understanding of how the earliest lineage commitments are regulated remains narrow. Here, we examined gene expression in 241 individual cells from early and late human blastocysts to delineate dynamic gene-expression changes. We distinguished all three lineages and further developed a 3D model of the inner cell mass and trophectoderm in which individual cells were mapped into distinct expression domains. We identified in silico precursors of the epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages and revealed a role for MCRS1, TET1, and THAP11 in epiblast formation and their ability to induce naive pluripotency in vitro. Our results highlight the potential of single-cell gene-expression analysis in human preimplantation development to instruct human stem cell biology. PMID:27404362

Cryopreservation of bovine embryos can be performed by a variety of methods with variable degree of success. Here, we report a new, easy to perform, simple, inexpensive, and successful method for vitrification of bovine blastocysts. In vitro produced bovine blastocysts were exposed to vitrification solution (5.5 m ethylene glycol, 10% serum and 1% sucrose) in one single step for 20 s, loaded on a paper container prepared from commonly available non-slippery, absorbent writing paper, and then were directly plunged into liquid nitrogen for storage. Vitrified blastocysts were warmed by serial rinsing in 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 m sucrose solution for 1 min each. Results showed that one step exposure of bovine blastocysts to cryoprotective agents was sufficient to achieve successful cryopreservation. Under these conditions, more than 95% of blastocysts survived the vitrification-warming on paper containers which was significantly higher than those obtained from other containers, such as electron microscope (EM) grid (78.1%), open pulled straw (OPS; 80.2%), cryoloop (76.2%) or plastic straw (73.9%). Embryo transfer of blastocysts vitrified-warmed on paper container resulted in successful conception (19.3%) and full-term live birth of offspring (12.3%) which were lower (P < 0.05) than those obtained from non-vitrified blastocysts (38.0 and 32.7%) but were comparable (P > 0.05) to those obtained from blastocysts vitrified-warmed on EM grid (23.3 and 14.2%). Our results, therefore, suggest that paper may be an inexpensive and useful container for the cryopreservation of animal embryos. PMID:22763071

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of recipient-donor estrous cycle synchrony on recipient reproductive performance after nonsurgical deep-uterine (NsDU) embryo transfer (ET). The transfers (N=132) were conducted in recipients sows that started estrus 24 h before (–24 h; N=9) or 0 h (synchronous; N=31), 24 h (+24 h; N=74) or 48 h (+48 h; N=18) after the donors. A total of 30 day 5 morulae or day 6 blastocysts (day 0=onset of estrus) were transferred per recipient. The highest farrowing rates (FRs) were achieved when estrus appeared in recipients 24 h later than that in the donors (81.1%), regardless of the embryonic stage used for the transfers. The FR notably decreased (P<0.05) when recipients were –24 h asynchronous (0%), synchronous (61.3%) or +48 h asynchronous (50%) relative to the donors. No differences in litter size (LS) and piglet birth weights were observed among the synchronous and +24 h or +48 h asynchronous groups. While a +24 h asynchronous recipient was suitable for transfers performed with either morulae (FR, 74.3%; LS, 9.2 ± 0.6 piglets) or blastocysts (FR, 84.6%; LS, 9.8 ± 0.6 piglets), a + 48 h asynchronous recipient was adequate for blastocysts (FR, 87.5%; LS, 10.4 ± 0.7 piglets) but not for morulae (FR, 30.0%; LS, 7.3 ± 2.3 piglets). In conclusion, this study confirms the effectiveness of the NsDU-ET technology and shows that porcine embryos tolerate better a less advanced uterine environment if they are nonsurgically transferred deep into the uterine horn. PMID:25030061

Background Recent advances in time-lapse monitoring in IVF treatment have provided new morphokinetic markers for embryonic competence. However, there is still very limited information about the relationship between morphokinetic parameters, chromosomal compositions and implantation potential. Accordingly, this study aimed at investigating the effects of selecting competent blastocysts for transfer by combining time-lapse monitoring and array CGH testing on pregnancy and implantation outcomes for patients undergoing preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). Methods A total of 1163 metaphase II (MII) oocytes were retrieved from 138 PGS patients at a mean age of 36.6 ± 2.4 years. These sibling MII oocytes were then randomized into two groups after ICSI: 1) Group A, oocytes (n = 582) were cultured in the time-lapse system and 2) Group B, oocytes (n = 581) were cultured in the conventional incubator. For both groups, whole genomic amplification and array CGH testing were performed after trophectoderm biopsy on day 5. One to two euploid blastocysts within the most predictive morphokinetic parameters (Group A) or with the best morphological grade available (Group B) were selected for transfer to individual patients on day 6. Ongoing pregnancy and implantation rates were compared between the two groups. Results There were significant differences in clinical pregnancy rates between Group A and Group B (71.1% vs. 45.9%, respectively, p = 0.037). The observed implantation rate per embryo transfer significantly increased in Group A compared to Group B (66.2% vs. 42.4%, respectively, p = 0.011). Moreover, a significant increase in ongoing pregnancy rates was also observed in Group A compared to Group B (68.9% vs. 40.5%. respectively, p = 0.019). However, there was no significant difference in miscarriage rate between the time-lapse system and the conventional incubator (3.1% vs. 11.8%, respectively, p = 0.273). Conclusions This is the first prospective investigation using

Maturation-promoting factor (MPF) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are key regulators of both meiotic and mitotic cycles. Oocytes arrested at metaphase of the second meiotic division (MII) contain high levels of both kinases; however, these activities decline with age. Caffeine (an inhibitor of Myt1/Wee1 activity) can increase MPF and MAPK activities in ovine oocytes; however, the effects of caffeine treatment on the activation, nuclear configuration and developmental potential of ovine SC nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos were unknown. We examined the effects of aging and caffeine treatment on MPF and MAPK activities, activation, development, and nuclear remodeling of SCNT embryos. Both kinases reached maximum activities at 24-h postonset of maturation (hpm) and then decreased with time. The decline in MPF activity occurred rapidly, whereas MAPK activity declined more slowly. Caffeine treatment (10.0 mM) of aging oocytes prevented the decline in activities associated with both kinases and prevented the acquisition of activation competence by a single activation stimulus. However, treatment of aged oocytes with caffeine could not increase kinase activities or reverse the acquisition of activation competence. Enucleation did not affect kinase activities, but caffeine treatment significantly increased both. Caffeine treatment did not affect the decline in MPF or MAPK activities following activation or significantly affect development of parthenogenetically activated oocytes. When SCNT reconstructed embryos were treated with caffeine following fusion, no increase in the frequency of development to blastocyst was observed; however, a significant increase in the occurrence of nuclear envelope break-down (NEBD) and an increase in total cell numbers occurred. PMID:18673075

Here, we provide fundamental insights into early human development by single-cell RNA-sequencing of human and mouse preimplantation embryos. We elucidate conserved transcriptional programs along with those that are human specific. Importantly, we validate our RNA-sequencing findings at the protein level, which further reveals differences in human and mouse embryo gene expression. For example, we identify several genes exclusively expressed in the human pluripotent epiblast, including the transcription factor KLF17. Key components of the TGF-β signalling pathway, including NODAL, GDF3, TGFBR1/ALK5, LEFTY1, SMAD2, SMAD4 and TDGF1, are also enriched in the human epiblast. Intriguingly, inhibition of TGF-β signalling abrogates NANOG expression in human epiblast cells, consistent with a requirement for this pathway in pluripotency. Although the key trophectoderm factors Id2, Elf5 and Eomes are exclusively localized to this lineage in the mouse, the human orthologues are either absent or expressed in alternative lineages. Importantly, we also identify genes with conserved expression dynamics, including Foxa2/FOXA2, which we show is restricted to the primitive endoderm in both human and mouse embryos. Comparison of the human epiblast to existing embryonic stem cells (hESCs) reveals conservation of pluripotency but also additional pathways more enriched in hESCs. Our analysis highlights significant differences in human preimplantation development compared with mouse and provides a molecular blueprint to understand human embryogenesis and its relationship to stem cells. PMID:26293300

Tools and methods for analyzing differences in embryos resulting from somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) in comparison to those derived from normal fertilization are needed to define better the nature of the nuclear reprogramming that occurs after NT. To this end, a collection of bovine blastocyst-derived cell lines was created. In vitro expanded or hatched blastocysts, used as primary culture tissue, were from NT; in vitro maturation, fertilization, and culture (IVF); or parthenogenetic (P) activation. Also, five in vivo-fertilized and developed blastocysts were collected by uterine flushing on the eighth d postfertilization. Whole blastocysts were physically attached to STO feeder layers to initiate all of the cell lines generated. The majority of the cell lines in the collection are trophectoderm, 38 NT-derived, 6 in vivo-derived, 20 IVF-derived, and 13 P-derived. Trophectoderm identity was ascertained by morphology and, in many cases, interferon-tau production. Several visceral endoderm cell lines and putative parietal endoderm cell lines were also established. At approximately 5% efficiency, epiblast masses from NT and IVF blastocysts survived and were isolated in culture. Two epiblast masses were also isolated from P blastocysts. Spontaneous differentiation from the epiblast outgrowths resulted in the establishment of fibroblast cell lines. The use of the trophectoderm cell lines as a comparative in vitro model of bovine trophectoderm and placental function is discussed in relation to NT reprogramming. PMID:17570020

The aim of this study is to determine if the use of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) by array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) and transfer of a single euploid blastocyst in patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) can improve clinical results. Three patient groups are compared: 43 couples with RIF for whom embryos were selected by array CGH (group RIF-PGS), 33 couples with the same history for whom array CGH was not performed (group RIF NO PGS), and 45 good prognosis infertile couples with array CGH selected embryos (group NO RIF PGS). A single euploid blastocyst was transferred in groups RIF-PGS and NO RIF PGS. Array CGH was not performed in group RIF NO PGS in which 1-2 blastocysts were transferred. One monoembryonic sac with heartbeat was found in 28 patients of group RIF PGS and 31 patients of group NO RIF PGS showing similar clinical pregnancy and implantation rates (68.3% and 70.5%, resp.). In contrast, an embryonic sac with heartbeat was only detected in 7 (21.2%) patients of group RIF NO PGS. In conclusion, PGS by array CGH with single euploid blastocysttransfer appears to be a successful strategy for patients with multiple failed IVF attempts. PMID:24779011

The blastocyst is a mammalian invention that carries the embryo from cleavage to gastrulation. For such a simple structure, it exhibits remarkable diversity in its mode of formation, morphology, longevity, and intimacy with the uterine endometrium. This review explores this diversity in the light of the evolution of viviparity, comparing the three main groups of mammals: monotremes, marsupials, and eutherians. The principal drivers in blastocyst evolution were loss of yolk coupled with evolution of the placenta. An important outcome of blastocyst development is differentiation of two extraembryonic lineages (trophoblast and hypoblast) that contribute to the placenta. While in many species trophoblast segregation is often coupled with blastocyst formation, in marsupials and at least some Afrotherians, these events do not coincide. Thus, many questions regarding the conservation of molecular mechanisms controlling these events are of great interest but currently unresolved. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. PMID:26799266

Transgenic porcine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are attractive cell sources for the development of genetically engineered pig models, because they can be expanded without senescence and have the potential for multiple gene manipulation. They are also useful cell sources for disease modeling and treatment. However, the generation of transgenic porcine iPS cells is rare, and their embryonic development after nuclear transfer (NT) has not yet been reported. We report here the generation of liver-specific oncogenes (TGF-α/c-Myc)-overexpressing porcine iPS (T/M iPS)-like cells. They expressed stem cell characteristics and were differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells that express oncogenes. We also confirmed that NT embryos derived from T/M iPS-like cells successfully developed blastocysts in vitro. As an initial approach toward porcine transgenic iPS cell generation and their developmental competence after NT, this study provides foundations for the efficient generation of genetically modified porcine iPS cells and animal models. PMID:26725870

Transgenic porcine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are attractive cell sources for the development of genetically engineered pig models, because they can be expanded without senescence and have the potential for multiple gene manipulation. They are also useful cell sources for disease modeling and treatment. However, the generation of transgenic porcine iPS cells is rare, and their embryonic development after nuclear transfer (NT) has not yet been reported. We report here the generation of liver-specific oncogenes (TGF-α/c-Myc)-overexpressing porcine iPS (T/M iPS)-like cells. They expressed stem cell characteristics and were differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells that express oncogenes. We also confirmed that NT embryos derived from T/M iPS-like cells successfully developed blastocysts in vitro. As an initial approach toward porcine transgenic iPS cell generation and their developmental competence after NT, this study provides foundations for the efficient generation of genetically modified porcine iPS cells and animal models. PMID:26725870

We compared the vitrified outcomes between early and expanded blastocysts with or without laser drilling. The grade III embryos from the patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in our reproductive center from September 2009 to February 2015 were incubated into early blastocysts and expanded blastocysts. The early blastocysts and expanded blastocysts were, respectively, divided into laser group (vitrification after laser drilling), non-laser group (direct vitrification), and control group (fresh non-vitrified blastocysts). After thawing, the blastular anabiosis rate, expansion rate, hatching rate, and apoptosis were observed in each group and then were compared amongst groups. This study indicated that the blastular expansion rate (all P blastocysts. In the expanded blastocysts, the blastular anabiosis rate was significantly higher in the laser group than in the non-laser group (P blastocysts can achieve the best outcomes. PMID:26956359

We have previously developed chemically defined media suitable for in vitro production (IVP) of porcine embryos and subsequently generated piglets by nonsurgical embryo transfer. In this study, to further improve the culture conditions for IVP of porcine embryos, we evaluated the effect of knockout serum replacement (KSR), a substitute for serum or albumin, on the viability and development of porcine blastocysts. The addition of 5% (v:v) KSR to porcine blastocyst medium (PBM) on Day 5 (Day 0 = IVF) significantly increased the survival and hatching rates of blastocysts and the total cell number of Day-7 blastocysts compared with those in cultures without KSR or addition of 10% fetal bovine serum. Furthermore, the number of cells in the trophectoderm of Day-6 blastocysts and the ATP content of Day-7 blastocysts cultured with 5% KSR were significantly higher than those of blastocysts cultured without KSR. The mRNA expression of a rate-limiting enzyme in β-oxidation, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, in Day-6 blastocysts, and a serine proteinase, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, in Day-7 blastocysts cultured in 5% KSR-PBM was significantly higher than that of blastocysts cultured in PBM alone. Four of eight recipients (50%), in which Day-5 blastocysts treated with 5% KSR were transferred nonsurgically, became pregnant. However, the efficiency of piglet production (percentage of piglets born based on the number of embryos transferred) was similar to recipients with transferredblastocysts treated without KSR. The present study demonstrated that the addition of KSR to PBM enhanced the in vitro viability of porcine blastocysts. In addition, our data suggest that KSR improved development to the hatching stage and blastocyst quality by increasing ATP content and hatching-related mRNA expression of blastocysts. PMID:25434774

In this study, the effect of heat shock on frozen-thawed blastocysts was evaluated using in vitro-produced (IVP) bovine embryos. In experiment 1, the effects of 6 h of heat shock at 41.0 C on fresh blastocysts were evaluated. HSPA1A expression as a reflection of stress was increased by heat shock (P < 0.05), but the expressions of the quality markers IFNT and POU5F1 were not affected. In experiment 2, frozen-thawed blastocysts were incubated at 38.5 C for 6 h (cryo-con) or exposed to heat shock at 41.0 C for 6 h (cryo-HS). Then, blastocysts were cultured at 38.5 C until 48 h after thawing (both conditions). Cryo-HS blastocysts exhibited a decreased recovery rate: HSPA1A expression was dramatically increased compared with that in fresh or cryo-con blastocysts at 6 h, and IFNT expression was decreased compared with that in cryo-con blastocysts at 6 h (both P < 0.05). Cryo-con blastocysts at 6 h also exhibited higher HSPA1A expression than fresh blastocysts (P < 0.05). At 48 h after thawing, the number of hatched blastocysts and blastocyst diameter were lower in cryo-HS blastocysts (P < 0.05). Cryo-con blastocysts showed lower POU5F1 levels at 48 h than fresh, cryo-con or cryo-HS blastocysts at 6 h (P < 0.05), but their POU5F1 levels were not different from those of cryo-HS blastocysts at 48 h. These results indicated that application of heat shock to frozen-thawed blastocysts was highly damaging. The increase in damage by the interaction of freezing-thawing and heat shock might be one reason for the low conception rate in frozen-thawed embryo transfer in summer. PMID:26096768

A detailed morphological staging system for cattle embryos at stages following blastocyst hatching and preceding gastrulation is presented here together with spatiotemporal mapping of gene expression for BMP4, BRACHYURY, CERBERUS1 (CER1), CRIPTO, EOMESODERMIN, FURIN and NODAL. Five stages are defined based on distinct developmental events. The first of these is the differentiation of the visceral hypoblast underlying the epiblast, from the parietal hypoblast underlying the mural trophoblast. The second concerns the formation of an asymmetrically positioned, morphologically recognisable region within the visceral hypoblast that is marked by the presence of CER1 and absence of BMP4 expression. We have termed this the anterior visceral hypoblast or AVH. Intra-epiblast cavity formation and the disappearance of the polar trophoblast overlying the epiblast (Rauber’s layer) have been mapped in relation to AVH formation. The third chronological event involves the transition of the epiblast into the embryonic ectoderm with concomitant onset of posterior NODAL, EOMES and BRACHYURY expression. Lastly, gastrulation commences as the posterior medial embryonic ectoderm layer thickens to form the primitive streak and cells ingress between the embryonic ectoderm and hypoblast. At this stage a novel domain of CER1 expression is seen whereas the AVH disappears. Comparison with the mouse reveals that while gene expression patterns at the onset of gastrulation are well conserved, asymmetry establishment, which relies on extraembryonic tissues such as the hypoblast and trophoblast, has diverged in terms of both gene expression and morphology. PMID:26076128

Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare and life-threatening condition which is defined as coexistent intrauterine and ectopic gestation. The risk of ectopic and heterotopic pregnancy is increasing due to the increased risk of multiple pregnancies with the aid of assisted reproductive technologies. However, it hardly happens in the setting of single embryo transfer, since single embryo transfer significantly reduces the incidence of multiple pregnancies. Surprisingly, we experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy after a single embryo transfer caused by coincidental natural pregnancy during assisted reproductive technologies. An infertile woman who underwent, during her natural cycle, transfer of a single embryo that had been cryopreserved for 3 years was found to be heterotopically pregnant. After an early and successful management with laparoscopic right salpingectomy, she finally reached at full-term vaginal delivery. PMID:27462600

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate associations between the morphology score of blastocysts and blastocoele re-expansion speed after warming with clinical outcomes, which could assist in making correct and cost-effective decisions regarding the appropriate time to vitrify blastocysts and to transfer vitrified-warmed blastocysts. Methods A total of 327 vitrified-warmed two-blastocysttransfer cycles in women 38 years old and younger were included in this retrospective study. Results The clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and implantation rate (IR) of transfers of two good-morphology grade 4 blastocysts vitrified on day 5 (64.1% and 46.8%, respectively) were significantly higher than the CPR and IR associated with the transfers of two good-morphology grade 3 blastocysts vitrified on day 5 (46.7% and 32.2%, respectively). No significant differences were found in the CPR and IR among the transfers of two good-morphology grade 4 blastocysts regardless of the day of cryopreservation. Logistic regression analysis showed that blastocoele re-expansion speed after warming was associated with the CPR. Conclusion The selection of a good-morphology grade 4 blastocyst to be vitrified could be superior to the choice of a grade 3 blastocyst. Extending the culture of grade 3 blastocysts and freezing grade 4 or higher blastocysts on day 6 could lead to a greater likelihood of pregnancy. Since re-expansion was shown to be a morphological marker of superior blastocyst viability, blastocysts that quickly re-expand after warming should be prioritized for transfer. PMID:27104155

This study was conducted to verify whether the FT-IR spectroscopy and Focal Plane Array (FPA) imaging can be successfully applied to estimate the quality of bovine blastocysts (on the basis of the concentration of nucleic acids and amides). The FT-IR spectra of inner cell mass from blastocysts of three different culture systems were examined. The spectral changes between blastocysts were analyzed in DNA (spectral range of 1240-950 cm-1) and protein amides (1800-1400 cm-1). Blastocyst 1 (BL1-HA) was developed from the fertilized oocyte cultured with low concentration of hialuronian (HA), Blastocyst 2 and 3 were developed from the oocytes cultured in standard conditions. Cleavage stage blastocyst 2 (BL2-SOF) has been cultured in SOF medium while blastocyst 3 (BL3-VERO) was cultured in co-culture with VERO cells. The multivariate statistical analysis (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis - HCA and Principal Component Analysis - PCA) of single cells spectra showed high similarity of cells forming the inner cell mass within singleblastocyst. The main variance between the three examined blastocysts was related to amides bands. Differences in the intensities of the amides' peaks between the bovine blastocysts derived from different culture systems indicated that specific proteins reflecting the appearance of a new phenotype were produced. However, for the three blastocysts, the α-helix typical peak was twice more intensive than the β-sheet typical peak suggesting that the differentiation processes had been started. Taking into account the quantitative and qualitative composition of the protein into examined blastocysts, it can be assumed, that the quality of the BL1-HA turned out much more similar to BL3-VERO than to BL2-SOF. FT-IR spectroscopy can be successfully applied in reproductive biology research for quality estimation of oocytes and embryos at varied stages of their development. Moreover this technique proved to be particularly useful when the quantity of the

The objectives of this research are threefold: (1) to develop methods for the study electron transfer processes at the single molecule level, (2) to develop a series of modifiable and structurally well defined molecular and nanoparticle systems suitable for detailed single molecule/particle and bulk spectroscopic investigation, (3) to relate experiment to theory in order to elucidate the dependence of electron transfer processes on molecular and electronic structure, coupling and reorganization energies. We have begun the systematic development of single molecule spectroscopy (SMS) of electron transfer and summaries of recent studies are shown. There is a tremendous need for experiments designed to probe the discrete electronic and molecular dynamic fluctuations of single molecules near electrodes and at nanoparticle surfaces. Single molecule spectroscopy (SMS) has emerged as a powerful method to measure properties of individual molecules which would normally be obscured in ensemble-averaged measurement. Fluctuations in the fluorescence time trajectories contain detailed molecular level statistical and dynamical information of the system. The full distribution of a molecular property is revealed in the stochastic fluctuations, giving information about the range of possible behaviors that lead to the ensemble average. In the case of electron transfer, this level of understanding is particularly important to the field of molecular and nanoscale electronics: from a device-design standpoint, understanding and controlling this picture of the overall range of possible behaviors will likely prove to be as important as designing ia the ideal behavior of any given molecule.

Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation regulate genomic imprinting and account for the distinct non-equivalence of the parental genomes in the embryo. Chromosomal aneuploidy, a major cause of infertility, distorts this highly regulated disparity by the presence or absence of chromosomes. The implantation potential of monosomy embryos is negligible compared to their trisomy counterparts, yet the cause for this is unknown. This study investigated the impact of chromosomal aneuploidy on strict epigenetically regulated domains, specifically imprinting control regions present on aneuploid chromosomes. Donated cryopreserved human IVF blastocysts of transferable quality, including trisomy 15, trisomy 11, monosomy 15, monosomy 11, and donor oocyte control blastocysts were examined individually for DNA methylation profiles by bisulfite mutagenesis and sequencing analysis of two maternally methylated imprinting control regions (ICRs), SNRPN (15q11.2) and KCNQ1OT1 (11p15.5), and one paternally methylated imprinting control region, H19 (11p15.5). Imprinted genes within the regions were also evaluated for transcript abundance by RT-qPCR. Overall, statistically significant hypermethylated and hypomethylated ICRs were found in both the trisomy and monosomy blastocysts compared to controls, restricted only to the chromosome affected by the aneuploidy. Increased expression was observed for maternally-expressed imprinted genes in trisomy blastocysts, while a decreased expression was observed for both maternally- and paternally-expressed imprinted genes in monosomy blastocysts. This epigenetic dysregulation and altered monoallelic expression observed at imprinting control regions in aneuploid IVF embryos supports euploid embryo transfer during infertility treatments, and may specifically highlight an explanation for the compromised implantation potential in monosomy embryos. PMID:27271036

Objective: This study is to determine the regulatory role of nitric oxide in mouse blastocyst hatching. Methods: Kunming female mice were superovulated and then mated with mature male mice. On day 2.5 of their pregnancy, the pregnant mice were killed and morulae were flushed from their uterine horns with culture media. Morulae were cultured in media with different concentrations of N-nitro-L arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), 8-Br-3’-5’-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP) or the combination of L-NAME with SNP or 8-Br-cGMP for 48 h. The hatched blastocysts were examined on day 5 and the expressions of epithelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and active cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (caspase 3) were observed under confocal laser scanning microscope. Results: L-NAME significantly reduced the expression of eNOS in blastocyst cells. With the increase of the concentrations of L-NAME, SNP or 8-Br-cGMP, blastocyst hatching rate was significantly lowered. In addition, 5 mM L-NAME, 2 μM SNP and 2 μM 8-Br-cGMP completely inhibited blastocyst hatching. Low concentrations of SNP or 8-Br-cGMP in culture media containing 5 mM L-NAME significantly reversed the inhibition of blastocyst hatching and promoted hatching development. Moreover, 5 mM L-NAME and 2 μM 8-Br-cGMP had no significant influence on the expression of active caspase 3 in blastocyst cells. SNP (> 500 nM) significantly increased the expression of active caspase 3 in blastocyst cells. Conclusions: NO/cGMP pathway plays an important role in mouse blastocyst hatching. Excessive or depleted NO can interrupt blastocyst hatching. Excessive NO leads to apoptosis of blastocyst cells. PMID:26221236

Expression profiling of stem cells is challenging due to their small numbers and heterogeneity. The PCR colony (polony) approach has theoretical advantages as an assay for stem cells but has not been applied to small numbers of cells. An assay has been developed that is sensitive enough to detect mRNAs from small numbers of ES cells and from fractions of a single mouse blastocyst. Genes assayed include Oct3, Rex1, Nanog, Cdx2 and GLUT-1. The assay is highly sensitive so that multiple mRNAs from a singleblastocyst were easily detected in the same assay. In its present version, the assay is an attractive alternative to conventional RT–PCR for profiling small populations of stem cells. The assay is also amenable to improvements that will increase its sensitivity and ability to analyze many cDNAs simultaneously. PMID:18073198

Blastocyst implantation is a process of interaction between embryo and the uterus. To understand this process, this review tries to summarize what blastocyst implantation essential factors (BIEFs) play what roles, as well as where in the uterus and at what stage of implantation process. Addition of more new data to this kind of compilation of information will help the development of diagnosis and treatment of infertility caused by implantation failure. The major, important cells of the endometrial cells that interact with invading blastocyst (trophoblast) are luminal epithelial cells, stromal cells (decidual cells) and resident immune cells. BIEFs regulate these cells to successfully maintain pregnancy. PMID:20455874

α-Lipoic acid (LA) is a thiol with antioxidant properties that protects against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. LA is absorbed from the diet, taken up by cells and tissues, and subsequently reduced to dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA). In view of the recent application of DHLA as a hydrophilic nanomaterial preparation, determination of its biosafety profile is essential. In the current study, we examined the cytotoxic effects of DHLA on mouse embryos at the blastocyst stage, subsequent embryonic attachment and outgrowth in vitro, in vivo implantation by embryo transfer, and early embryonic development in an animal model. Blastocysts treated with 50 μM DHLA exhibited significantly increased apoptosis and a corresponding decrease in total cell number. Notably, the implantation success rates of blastocysts pretreated with DHLA were lower than that of their control counterparts. Moreover, in vitro treatment with 50 μM DHLA was associated with increased resorption of post-implantation embryos and decreased fetal weight. Data obtained using an in vivo mouse model further disclosed that consumption of drinking water containing 100 μM DHLA led to decreased early embryo development, specifically, inhibition of development to the blastocyst stage. However, it appears that concentrations of DHLA lower than 50 μM do not exert a hazardous effect on embryonic development. Our results collectively indicate that in vitro and in vivo exposure to concentrations of DHLA higher than 50 μM DHLA induces apoptosis and retards early pre- and post-implantation development, and support the potential of DHLA to induce embryonic cytotoxicity. PMID:22489194

The effect of preimplantation exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA) on blastocyst development and implantation is investigated. Mice were orally administered with BPA (200, 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg/day) from Day 0.5 to Day 3.5 of their pregnancy. Blastocyst development was examined on Day 4 of pregnancy. With 400 mg/kg/day BPA, implantation site number and implantation rate significantly reduced. With 600 and 800 mg/kg/day BPA, no implantation site was observed. BPA at 800 mg/kg/day significantly reduced blastocyst development rate and hatching rate. With 400 and 600 mg/kg/day BPA, Blastocyst development rate showed no significant difference whereas hatching rate was lower. With 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg/day BPA, some embryos were detected in the fallopian tube and hatched blastocysts showed greatly increased apoptosis level and endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression. In summary, high concentration BPA delayed the transfer of embryos to the uterus, damaged blastocyst development before implantation, and inhibited embryo implantation. PMID:26309523

Methyltransferases are an important group of enzymes with diverse roles that include epigenetic gene regulation. The universal donor of methyl groups for methyltransferases is S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), which in most cells is synthesized using methyl groups carried by a derivative of folic acid. Another mechanism for AdoMet synthesis uses betaine as the methyl donor via the enzyme betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT, EC 2.1.1.5), but it has been considered to be significant only in liver. Here, we show that mouse preimplantation embryos contain endogenous betaine; Bhmt mRNA is first expressed at the morula stage; BHMT is abundant at the blastocyst stage but not other preimplantation stages, and BHMT activity is similarly detectable in blastocyst homogenates but not those of two-cell or morula stage embryos. Knockdown of BHMT protein levels and reduction of enzyme activity using Bhmt-specific antisense morpholinos or a selective BHMT inhibitor resulted in decreased development of embryos to the blastocyst stage in vitro and a reduction in inner cell mass cell number in blastocysts. The detrimental effects of BHMT knockdown were fully rescued by the immediate methyl-carrying product of BHMT, methionine. A physiological role for betaine and BHMT in blastocyst viability was further indicated by increased fetal resorption following embryo transfer of BHMT knockdown blastocysts versus control. Thus, mouse blastocysts are unusual in being able to generate AdoMet not only by the ubiquitous folate-dependent mechanism but also from betaine metabolized by BHMT, likely a significant pool of methyl groups in blastocysts. PMID:22847001

We investigated the effect of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPS) medium on porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer and bovine in vitro fertilized early blastocysts, in comparison with North Carolina State University (NCSU)-37 medium and in vitro culture (IVC)-II medium. After 2 days of culture, the diameter of the portion of the blastocyst that was extruded from the zona pellucid dramatically differed between porcine blastocysts cultured in hiPS medium and those cultured in NCSU-37 medium (221.47 ± 38.94 μm versus 481.87 ± 40.61 μm, P < 0.01). Moreover, the diameter of the portion of the blastocyst significantly differed between bovine blastocysts cultured in hiPS medium and those cultured in IVC-II medium (150.30 ± 29.49 μm versus 195.58 ± 41.59 μm, P < 0.01). Furthermore, the total number of cells per porcine and bovine blastocyst was more than two-fold higher in blastocysts cultured in hiPS medium than in those cultured in NCSU-37 medium (44.33 ± 5.28 and 143.33 ± 16.05, P < 0.01) or IVC-II medium (172.12 ± 45.08 and 604.83 ± 242.64, P < 0.01), respectively. These results indicate that hiPS medium markedly improves the quality of porcine and bovine blastocysts. PMID:25925489

This study was performed to investigate the effects, in terms of nuclear material and actin cytoskeleton quantities (fluorescent pixel counts), of four different bovine blastocyst culturing techniques (in vitro, stepwise in vitro-to-in vivo, or purely in vivo). Cumulus oocyte complexes from abattoir-sourced ovaries were matured in vitro and allocated to four groups: IVP-group embryos developed up to blastocyst stage in vitro. Gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT)-group oocytes were co-incubated with semen for 4 h before transfer to oviducts of heifers. Following in vitro fertilization, cleaved embryos (day 2 of embryo development, day 2-7 group) were transferred into oviducts on day 2. Multiple ovulation embryo transfer (MOET)-group embryos were obtained by superovulating and inseminating heifers; the heifers' genital tracts were flushed at day 7 of blastocyst development. Within each group, ten blastocysts were selected to be differentially dyed (for nuclei and actin cytoskeleton) with fluorescent stains. A novel computer program (ColorAnalyzer) provided differential pixel counts representing organelle quantities. Blastocysts developed only in vivo (MOET group) showed significantly more nuclear material than did blastocysts produced by any other technique. In terms of actin cytoskeleton quantity, blastocysts produced by IVP and by day 2-7 transfer did not differ significantly from each other. Gamete intra-fallopian transfer- and MOET-group embryos showed significantly larger quantities of actin cytoskeleton when compared with any other group and differed significantly from each other. The results of this study indicate that culturing under in vitro conditions, even with part time in vivo techniques, may adversely affect the quantity of blastocyst nuclear material and actin cytoskeleton. The software employed may be useful for culture environment evaluation/developmental competence assessment. PMID:20477985

Transition metal complexes such as ruthenium complexes, having metal-to-ligand charge transfer states, are extensively used in solar energy conversion and electron transfer in biological systems and at interfaces. The dynamics of metal-to-ligand charge transfer and subsequent intermolecular, intramolecular, and interfacial electron transfer processes can be highly complex and inhomogeneous, especially when molecules are involved in interactions and perturbations from heterogeneous local environments and gated by conformation fluctuations. We have employed the single-molecule spectroscopy, a powerful approach for inhomogeneous systems to study the electron transfer dynamics of ruthenium complexes. We have applied a range of statistical analysis methods to reveal nonclassical photon emission behavior of the single ruthenium complex, i.e., photon antibunching, and photophysical ground-state recovering dynamics on a microsecond time scale. The use of photon antibunching to measure phosphorescence lifetimes and single-molecule electron transfer dynamics at room temperature is demonstrated.

Prostaglandins (PGs), derivatives of arachidonic acid, play an indispensable role in embryo implantation. PGs have been reported to participate in the increase in vascular permeability, stromal decidualization, blastocyst growth and development, leukocyte recruitment, embryo transport, trophoblast invasion, and extracellular matrix remodeling during implantation. Deranged PGs syntheses and actions will result in implantation failure. This review summarizes up-to-date literatures on the role of PGs in blastocyst implantation which could provide a broad perspective to guide further research in this field. PMID:24616654

Herein we demonstrate the formation of the first tetrastable naphthalenediimide (NDI, 1a) molecule having multiple distinctly readable outputs. Differential response of 1a to fluoride anions induces intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), single/double electron transfer (SET/DET) leading to a set of combinational logic gates for the first time with a NDI moiety. PMID:23752683

Early embryonic loss and altered gene expression in in vitro produced blastocysts are believed to be partly caused by aberrant DNA methylation. However, specific embryonic stage which is sensitive to in vitro culture conditions to alter the DNA methylation profile of the resulting blastocysts remained unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the stage specific effect of in vitro culture environment on the DNA methylation response of the resulting blastocysts. For this, embryos cultured in vitro until zygote (ZY), 4-cell (4C) or 16-cell (16C) were transferred to recipients and the blastocysts were recovery at day 7 of the estrous cycle. Another embryo group was cultured in vitro until blastocyst stage (IVP). Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of ZY, 4C, 16C and IVP blastocyst groups were then determined with reference to blastocysts developed completely under in vivo condition (VO) using EmbryoGENE DNA Methylation Array. To assess the contribution of methylation changes on gene expression patterns, the DNA methylation data was superimposed to the transcriptome profile data. The degree of DNA methylation dysregulation in the promoter and/or gene body regions of the resulting blastocysts was correlated with successive stages of development the embryos advanced under in vitro culture before transfer to the in vivo condition. Genomic enrichment analysis revealed that in 4C and 16C blastocyst groups, hypermethylated loci were outpacing the hypomethylated ones in intronic, exonic, promoter and proximal promoter regions, whereas the reverse was observed in ZY blastocyst group. However, in the IVP group, as much hypermethylated as hypomethylated probes were detected in gene body and promoter regions. In addition, gene ontology analysis indicated that differentially methylated regions were found to affected several biological functions including ATP binding in the ZY group, programmed cell death in the 4C, glycolysis in 16C and genetic imprinting and

Centimeter-sized segregated stacking TTF-C60 single crystals are crystallized by a mass-transport approach combined with solvent-vapor evaporation for the first time. The intermolecular charge-transfer interaction in the long-range ordered superstructure enables the crystals to demonstrate external stimuli-controlled multifunctionalities and angle/electrical-potential-dependent luminescence. PMID:27146726

Aberrant epigenetic nuclear reprogramming results in low somatic cloning efficiency. Altering epigenetic status by applying histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) enhances developmental potential of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. The present study was carried out to examine the effects of Oxamflatin, a novel HDACi, on the nuclear reprogramming and development of bovine SCNT embryos in vitro. We found that Oxamflatin modified the acetylation status on H3K9 and H3K18, increased total and inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers and the ratio of ICM∶trophectoderm (TE) cells, reduced the rate of apoptosis in SCNT blastocysts, and significantly enhanced the development of bovine SCNT embryos in vitro. Furthermore, Oxamflatin treatment suppressed expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax and stimulated expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-XL and the pluripotency-related genes OCT4 and SOX2 in SCNT blastocysts. Additionally, the treatment also reduced the DNA methylation level of satellite I in SCNT blastocysts. In conclusion, Oxamflatin modifies epigenetic status and gene expression, increases blastocyst quality, and subsequently enhances the nuclear reprogramming and developmental potential of SCNT embryos. PMID:21912607

Proton transfer across single-layer graphene proceeds with large computed energy barriers and is therefore thought to be unfavourable at room temperature unless nanoscale holes or dopants are introduced, or a potential bias is applied. Here we subject single-layer graphene supported on fused silica to cycles of high and low pH, and show that protons transfer reversibly from the aqueous phase through the graphene to the other side where they undergo acid-base chemistry with the silica hydroxyl groups. After ruling out diffusion through macroscopic pinholes, the protons are found to transfer through rare, naturally occurring atomic defects. Computer simulations reveal low energy barriers of 0.61-0.75 eV for aqueous proton transfer across hydroxyl-terminated atomic defects that participate in a Grotthuss-type relay, while pyrylium-like ether terminations shut down proton exchange. Unfavourable energy barriers to helium and hydrogen transfer indicate the process is selective for aqueous protons.

Proton transfer across single-layer graphene proceeds with large computed energy barriers and is thought to be unfavourable at room temperature unless nanoscale holes or dopants are introduced, or a potential bias is applied. Here we subject single-layer graphene supported on fused ​silica to cycles of high and low pH, and show that protons transfer reversibly from the aqueous phase through the graphene to the other side where they undergo acid–base chemistry with the silica hydroxyl groups. After ruling out diffusion through macroscopic pinholes, the protons are found to transfer through rare, naturally occurring atomic defects. Computer simulations reveal low energy barriers of 0.61–0.75 eV for aqueous proton transfer across hydroxyl-terminated atomic defects that participate in a Grotthuss-type relay, while ​pyrylium-like ether terminations shut down proton exchange. In conclusion, unfavourable energy barriers to helium and ​hydrogen transfer indicate the process is selective for aqueous protons.

Proton transfer across single-layer graphene proceeds with large computed energy barriers and is therefore thought to be unfavourable at room temperature unless nanoscale holes or dopants are introduced, or a potential bias is applied. Here we subject single-layer graphene supported on fused silica to cycles of high and low pH, and show that protons transfer reversibly from the aqueous phase through the graphene to the other side where they undergo acid–base chemistry with the silica hydroxyl groups. After ruling out diffusion through macroscopic pinholes, the protons are found to transfer through rare, naturally occurring atomic defects. Computer simulations reveal low energy barriers of 0.61–0.75 eV for aqueous proton transfer across hydroxyl-terminated atomic defects that participate in a Grotthuss-type relay, while pyrylium-like ether terminations shut down proton exchange. Unfavourable energy barriers to helium and hydrogen transfer indicate the process is selective for aqueous protons. PMID:25781149

Proton transfer across single-layer graphene proceeds with large computed energy barriers and is thought to be unfavourable at room temperature unless nanoscale holes or dopants are introduced, or a potential bias is applied. Here we subject single-layer graphene supported on fused ​silica to cycles of high and low pH, and show that protons transfer reversibly from the aqueous phase through the graphene to the other side where they undergo acid–base chemistry with the silica hydroxyl groups. After ruling out diffusion through macroscopic pinholes, the protons are found to transfer through rare, naturally occurring atomic defects. Computer simulations reveal low energymore » barriers of 0.61–0.75 eV for aqueous proton transfer across hydroxyl-terminated atomic defects that participate in a Grotthuss-type relay, while ​pyrylium-like ether terminations shut down proton exchange. In conclusion, unfavourable energy barriers to helium and ​hydrogen transfer indicate the process is selective for aqueous protons.« less

It has been reported that the number and quality of in vitro produced embryos is season related. This study was conducted to assess the effect of season on cleavage, blastocyst and lambing rates of in vitro produced ovine embryos during 3 years of collection data. Ovaries of Sarda sheep were collected from a slaughterhouse. In total, 5035 oocytes were recovered and matured in TCM-199 with 4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA), 100 μM cysteamine, 0.3 mM Na pyruvate, 0.1 UI/ml recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH), 0.1 UI/ml recombinant luteinising hormone (r-LH), and 1 μg/ml estradiol-17β. Matured oocytes were fertilized with fresh semen in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) with 20% heat inactivated estrous sheep serum. The presumptive zygotes were cultured for 6-7 days (blastocyst stage) in SOF medium supplemented with 1% Basel Medium Eagle (BME), 1% Minimum Essential Medium, 1 mM glutamine and 8 mg/ml fatty acid-free BSA. The embryos produced were vitrified and a total of 165 blastocysts (80 from the breeding season and 85 from the anoestrous season) were transferred in pairs into recipient ewes during the reproductive period. There were no significant differences in cleavage rates between seasons in any of the 3 years examined (84% versus 83%, 81% versus 80% and 80% versus 79%, respectively). The blastocyst rate varied significantly between seasons in 2005 and 2007 (P < 0.05), and in 2006 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in pregnancy and lambing rates between embryos during anoestrous versus during the breeding season. In conclusion, only the blastocyst rate appeared to have been affected by season, possibly due to variation in the number of developmentally competent oocytes. PMID:23458093

Objective The goal of this study was to ascertain optimal assisted hatching (AH) method in frozen embryo transfer. We compared the effect of depending on whether mechanical or laser-AH was performed before or after the vitrification of embryo development rate and blastocyst cell numbers. Methods In order to induce superovulation, pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin followed by human chorionic gonadotropin were injected into 4- to 5-week-old female mice. 2-cell embryos were then collected by flushing out the oviducts. The Expanded blastocysts were recovered after the collected embryos were incubated for 48 hours, and were then subjected to artificial shrinkage (AS) and cross-mechanical AH (cMAH) or quarter-laser zona thinning-AH (qLZT-AH) were carried out using the expanded blastocysts before or after vitrification. After 48 hours of incubation, followed by vitrification and thawing (V-T), and blastocysts were fluorescence stained and observed. Results The rate of formation of hatched blastocysts after 24 and 72 hours of incubation was significantly higher in the AS/qLZT-AH/V-T group than in the other groups (p<0.05). The cell number of the inner cell mass was higher in AS/V-T/non-AH and AS/V-T/cMAH groups than those of others (p<0.05). In the control group, the number of trophectoderm and the total cell number were higher than in the AS-AH group (p<0.05). Conclusion The above results suggest that AS and AH in vitrification of expanded blastocysts lead to the more efficient formation of hatched blastocysts in mice. PMID:26473108

STUDY QUESTION Is blastocyst biopsy and quantitative real-time PCR based comprehensive chromosome screening a consistent and reproducible approach across different biopsy practitioners? SUMMARY ANSWER The blastocyst biopsy approach provides highly consistent and reproducible laboratory and clinical outcomes across multiple practitioners from different IVF centres when all of the embryologists received identical training and use similar equipment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Recently there has been a trend towards trophectoderm (TE) biopsy in preimplantation genetic screening (PGS)/preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) programmes. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the reproducibility that can be obtained from multiple biopsy practitioners in different IVF centres in relation also to blastocysts of different morphology. Although it has been demonstrated that biopsy at the blastocyst stage has no impact on embryo viability, it remains a possibility that less experienced individual biopsy practitioners or laboratories performing TE biopsy may affect certain outcomes. We investigated whether TE biopsy practitioners can have an impact on the quality of the genetic test and the subsequent clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This longitudinal cohort study, between April 2013 and December 2014, involved 2586 consecutive blastocyst biopsies performed at three different IVF centres and the analysis of 494 single frozen euploid embryo transfer cycles (FEET). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Seven biopsy practitioners performed the blastocyst biopsies in the study period and quantitative PCR was used for comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS). The same practitioner performed both the biopsy and tubing procedures for each blastocyst they biopsied. To investigate the quality of the biopsied samples, the diagnostic rate, sample-specific concurrence and the cell number retrieved in the biopsy were evaluated for each biopsy operator. Clinical

Summary Discordant growth is a common complication of monochorionic/diamniotic pregnancies; in approximately 50% of cases, the cause is unknown. The case presented here suggests that discordant growth of monozygotic twins could start during preimplantation development. Two inner cell masses (ICMs) within the same blastocyst may originate in uneven splitting of a single “parental” ICM, or the two ICMs may be formed independently de novo. We studied the transcriptomes of two morphologically distinct ICMs within a singleblastocyst using high-resolution RNA sequencing. The data indicated that the two ICM were at different stages of development; one was in the earliest stages of lineage commitment, while the other had already differentiated into epiblast and primitive endoderm. IGF1-mediated signaling is likely to play a key role in ICM growth and to be the major driver behind these differences. PMID:26584541

We propose a scheme for triggering a dissipation-dominated highly efficient excitation transfer from a single-photon wave packet to a single quantum emitter. This single-photon-induced optical pumping turns dominant dissipative processes, such as spontaneous photon emission by the emitter or cavity decay, into valuable tools for quantum information processing and quantum communication. It works for an arbitrarily shaped single-photon wave packet with sufficiently small bandwidth provided a matching condition is satisfied which balances the dissipative rates involved. Our scheme does not require additional laser pulses or quantum feedback and does not rely on high finesse optical resonators. In particular, it can be used to enhance significantly the coupling of a single photon to a single quantum emitter implanted in a one-dimensional waveguide or even in a free space scenario. We demonstrate the usefulness of our scheme for building a deterministic quantum memory and a deterministic frequency converter between photonic qubits of different wavelengths.

We report here the isolation and in vitro culture of bovine inner cell mass (ICM) cells and the use of ICM cells in nuclear transfer to produce totipotent blastocysts that resulted in calves born. Of 15 cell lines represented in this study, 13 were derived from immunosurgically isolated ICM of 3 in vitro produced day 9-10 bovine blastocysts, while 2 lines were derived from singleblastocysts. Approximately 70% of attempted cell lines became established cell lines when started from 3 ICMs. The ability to establish cell lines was dependent on the number of ICMs starting the line. Sire differences were noted in the ability of ICMs to establish cell lines and to form blastocysts. The cell lines were cultured as a low cell density suspension in the medium CR1aa plus selenium, insulin, and transferrin (SIT) and 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) for 6-101 days before use in nuclear transfer, at which time some had multiplied to more than 2000 cells. If allowed to aggregate, cells of established cell lines formed embryoid bodies. A total of 659 nuclear transfer clones were made by fusing the ES cells into enucleated oocytes with polyethylene glycol; 460 of these fused, based on cleavage (70%). After culture of the clones for 7 days in vitro in CR1aa/SIT/5% FCS, 109 (24%) of those fused became blastocysts. Thirty-four blastocysts were transferred into uteri of 27 cows, and 13 cows (49%) became pregnant. Four of the 13 cows gave birth to 4 normal calves. DNA typing showed the calves to be derived from the respective sires of the cell lines. The calves were derived from cultures of less than 28 days. PMID:8016127

We report here the isolation and in vitro culture of bovine inner cell mass (ICM) cells and the use of ICM cells in nuclear transfer to produce totipotent blastocysts that resulted in calves born. Of 15 cell lines represented in this study, 13 were derived from immunosurgically isolated ICM of 3 in vitro produced day 9-10 bovine blastocysts, while 2 lines were derived from singleblastocysts. Approximately 70% of attempted cell lines became established cell lines when started from 3 ICMs. The ability to establish cell lines was dependent on the number of ICMs starting the line. Sire differences were noted in the ability of ICMs to establish cell lines and to form blastocysts. The cell lines were cultured as a low cell density suspension in the medium CR1aa plus selenium, insulin, and transferrin (SIT) and 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) for 6-101 days before use in nuclear transfer, at which time some had multiplied to more than 2000 cells. If allowed to aggregate, cells of established cell lines formed embryoid bodies. A total of 659 nuclear transfer clones were made by fusing the ES cells into enucleated oocytes with polyethylene glycol; 460 of these fused, based on cleavage (70%). After culture of the clones for 7 days in vitro in CR1aa/SIT/5% FCS, 109 (24%) of those fused became blastocysts. Thirty-four blastocysts were transferred into uteri of 27 cows, and 13 cows (49%) became pregnant. Four of the 13 cows gave birth to 4 normal calves. DNA typing showed the calves to be derived from the respective sires of the cell lines. The calves were derived from cultures of less than 28 days. Images PMID:8016127

Research and development of novel initiating system such as single electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) is of high importance in polymer chemistry. A new SET-LRP initiator was synthesized and applied to prepare end-functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in this study. α-Trichloromethyl benzyl alcohol was firstly synthesized, followed by preparation of PMMA under SET-LRP conditions. Conversion of MMA was 81.9%, and the molecular weight of PMMA was about 2.5 kDa at 60 °C for 1 h. Consistency of the number-average molecular weight of PMMA from NMR, GPC and theoretical calculation indicated that the polymerization featured controllable property. Broad molecular weight distribution (MWD) may be ascribed to branched polymers formed by initiation and chain transfer.

In some gas turbine engine designs cooling air jets are directed at the rotating disk in an atempt to enhance the convection coefficients and reduce the amount of gas flow required for cooling. The jet-impingement scheme is particularly attractive for achieving intense cooling at a specific radial location, such as the blade attachment region. In earlier single-jet studies, the interaction between an impinging jet and rotating disk has been found to involve a flow regime transition. The present study extends the previously acquired data base with new results from both heat-transfer and flow-visualization testing, including effects of hub size, jet travel distance, and the number of jets. Results include a superposition scheme for predicting heat transfer for multiple jets and a criterion for the minimum amount of flow required through each jet nozzle to assure enhancement of the disk convection.

Mass transfer from irregular-shaped naphthalene particles (100-200 {mu}m in size) was studied in an electrodynamic balance. Charged particles were suspended in an electrostatic field directly in line with a calibrated air jet. Mass and size change histories were obtained under ambient conditions, and under steady- and pulsed-flow conditions. For natural convection, the time-averaged Sherwood number was similar to that for spheres. Forced-convection Sherwood number under steady-flow conditions was strongly dependent on particle shape and particle Reynolds number, and was consistently higher than values predicted for spheres at comparable Reynolds numbers. This paper validates the technique and indicates the shape effect on mass transfer from single particles.

The importance of optical time transfer serving as a complement to traditional microwave links, has been attested for GNSSes and for scientific missions. Single photon time transfer (SPTT) is a process, allowing to compare (subtract) time readings of two distant clocks. Such a comparison may be then used to synchronize less accurate clock to a better reference, to perform clock characterization and calibration, to calculate mean time out of ensemble of several clocks, displaced in space. The single-photon time transfer is well established in field of space geodesy, being supported by passive retro-reflectors within space segment of five known GNSSes. A truly two-way, active terminals work aboard of Jason-2 (T2L2) - multiphoton operation, GNSS Beidou (Compass) - SPTT, and are going to be launched within recent ACES project (ELT) - SPTT, and GNSS GLONASS - multiphoton operation. However, there is still missing comprehensive theoretical model of two-way (using satellite receiver and retroreflector) SPTT link incorporating all crucial parameters of receiver (both ground and space segment receivers), transmitter, atmosphere effects on uplink and downlink path, influence of retroreflector. The input to calculation of SPTT link performance will be among others: link budget (distance, power, apertures, beam divergence, attenuation, scattering), propagating medium (atmosphere scintillation, beam wander, etc.), mutual Tx/Rx velocity, wavelength. The SPTT model will be evaluated without the properties of real components. These will be added in the further development. The ground-to-space SPTT link performance of typical scenarios are modeled. This work is a part of the ESA study "Comparison of optical time-transfer links."

This paper presents a method to simulate heat transfer across the interface separating immiscible liquids. One-field volume tracking is used which involves solving one set of equations for conservation of mass, momentum and energy. The original idea behind volume tracking methods has been used not only to advect mass and momentum but also energy across cell boundaries. The van Leer method is used to approximate advection temperatures across the sharp temperature gradients existing at fluid/fluid interface. As applications to this method, the fall of single and multiple molten tin droplets in oil, and the rise of octane droplets in water are simulated.

A triple-dot single-electron transistor was fabricated on silicon-on-insulator wafer using pattern-dependent oxidation. A specially designed one-dimensional silicon wire having small constrictions at both ends was converted to a triple-dot single-electron transistor by means of pattern-dependent oxidation. The fabrication of the center dot involved quantum size effects and stress-induced band gap reduction, whereas that of the two side dots involved thickness modulation because of the complex edge structure of two-dimensional silicon. Single-electron turnstile operation was confirmed at 8 K when a 100-mV, 1-MHz square wave was applied. Monte Carlo simulations indicated that such a device with inhomogeneous tunnel and gate capacitances can exhibit single-electron transfer.

Chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) has been suggested to regulate cell migration and invasion in human somatic cells. However, its role in human oocytes and embryos has not been investigated directly. Here we show that CXCR4 mRNA was initially expressed at the 4-cell stage, and its expression gradually increased until the blastocyst stage, whereas its protein was detectable only after the 8-cell stage. In addition, CXCR4 mRNA and protein were expressed in the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cell of the blastocyst. Furthermore, we collected embryos from women whose embryos had undergone successful implantation (SI) and those whose embryos had failed implantation (FI) in their fresh cycles. TE cells from the FI group had reduced CXCR4 mRNA expression relative to those from the SI group but not in the ICM. Through ICM replacement, we constructed mouse blastocysts in which Cxcr4 was specifically knocked down in TE cells to simulate the CXCR4 expression profile of human blastocysts from the FI group. In this case, we found that the implantation rate significantly decreased after transfer of reconstructed embryos. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that CXCR4 can induce cell apoptosis and migration mediated by Rho signaling. This hypothesis was confirmed by invasion and migration experiments, using a human trophoblast cell line. The present study is the first to explore the characteristics of CXCR4 expression using human oocytes and embryos and suggests that CXCR4 is required upstream of TE cell apoptosis and migration. CXCR4 expression is a potential biomarker to predict implantation competence during assisted reproductive technologies. PMID:27146031

Blastocyst biopsy is now widely used for both preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Although this approach yields good results, variable embryo quality and rates of development remain a challenge. Here, a case is reported in which a blastocyst was biopsied for PGS by array comparative genomic hybridization on day 6 after insemination, having hatched completely. In addition to a small trophectoderm sample, excluded cell fragments from the subzonal space from this embryo were also sampled. Unexpectedly, the array comparative genomic hybridization results from the fragments and trophectoderm sample were non-concordant: 47,XX,+19 and 46,XY, respectively. DNA fingerprinting by short tandem repeat and amelogenin analysis confirmed the sex chromosome difference but seemed to show that the two samples were related but non-identical. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping and karyomapping identified that the origin of the DNA amplified from the fragments was that of the second polar body corresponding to the oocyte from which the biopsied embryo developed. The fact that polar body DNA can persist to the blastocyst stage provides evidence that excluded cell fragments should not be used for diagnostic purposes and should be avoided when performing embryo biopsies as there is a risk of diagnostic errors. PMID:26380865

Pronucleus-like vesicle formation following premature chromosome condensation (PCC) of the donor cell nucleus is the key event for successful generation of cloned rodents by nuclear transplantation (NT). However in rat cloning, this change is difficult to induce in enucleated recipient oocytes because of their inability to maintain maturation-promoting factor levels. In this study, intact oocytes retrieved from nuclear-visualized H2B-tdTomato knock-in rats were injected with Venus-labeled cell nuclei. Because the incidence of PCC under MG-132 treatment significantly increased with the culture period (0%, 10.8%, 36.8%, and 87.5% at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 h postinjection, respectively), the metaphase plate of the oocyte was removed 1-2 h after the nuclear injection. The NT-derived rat zygotes (n = 748) were activated with ionomycin/cycloheximide and transferred into temporal host mothers, resulting in the harvest of three blastocysts (0.4%) with Venus fluorescence. Two blastocysts were examined for their potential to commit to NT-derived embryonic stem cells (ntESCs). One ntESC line was established successfully and found to be competent in terms of karyotype, stem cell marker expression, and pluripotency. In conclusion, time-lagged enucleation of visualized oocyte nuclei allows the PCC incidence of donor nuclei and generation of NT blastocysts, and the blastocysts can commit to germline-competent ntESCs. PMID:26990947

During the last decade it has been shown that most mammalian blastocysts consisted of three cell lineages. Immunofluorescence with multiple antibodies enables to identify each cell type allowing an easy detection of eventual defects. It is complementary to RT-PCR experiments as this technique allows to look at cell position and to analyze and count the proportions between the different cell types. Thus after any kind of embryo manipulation such as nuclear transfer (NT), the analysis of the three cell lineages by immunofluorescence will provide criteria for good or poor development. PMID:25287346

This review is to update the previous review (Am J Reprod Immunol, 63, 2010 and 413) on the research on blastocyst implantation essential factors (BIEFs). Focus of the current review is on progesterone and its downstream molecules in the process of blastocyst implantation. To understand the process of implantation, we need to know where and when the BIEFs are expressed and what they do. Progress in this research area is rapid, and its update is indeed necessary. The basic concept of BIEFs is that they have dual functions, one physiological and the other immunological (J Reprod Dev, 58, 2012 and 196). As we are still exploring the mechanism of implantation, available data are incomplete and human data are few. Thus, I will use information obtained through research on animal models, in vitro studies, cell lines, and some human studies where available. The ultimate goal of the review is to understand human blastocyst implantation. PMID:24754263

The introduction of multigene constructs into single cells is important for improving the performance of domestic animals, as well as understanding basic biological processes. In particular, multigene constructs allow the engineering and integration of multiple genes related to xenotransplantation into the porcine genome. The piggyBac (PB) transposon system allows multiple genes to be stably integrated into target genomes through a single transfection event. However, to our knowledge, no attempt to introduce multiple genes into a porcine genome has been made using this system. In this study, we simultaneously introduced seven transposons into a single porcine embryonic fibroblast (PEF). PEFs were transfected with seven transposons containing genes for five drug resistance proteins and two (red and green) fluorescent proteins, together with a PB transposase expression vector, pTrans (experimental group). The above seven transposons (without pTrans) were transfected concomitantly (control group). Selection of these transfected cells in the presence of multiple selection drugs resulted in the survival of several clones derived from the experimental group, but not from the control. PCR analysis demonstrated that approximately 90% (12/13 tested) of the surviving clones possessed all of the introduced transposons. Splinkerette PCR demonstrated that the transposons were inserted through the TTAA target sites of PB. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using a PEF clone with multigene constructs demonstrated successful production of cloned blastocysts expressing both red and green fluorescence. These results indicate the feasibility of this PB-mediated method for simultaneous transfer of multigene constructs into the porcine cell genome, which is useful for production of cloned transgenic pigs expressing multiple transgenes. PMID:27589724

Addition of 70 mM choline chloride to Brinster's medium (140 mM Na/sup +/) inhibited uptake of approx. 1 ..mu..M (/sup 3/H)glycine, leucine, lysine and alanine in blastocysts by about 50% each during a five-minute incubation period at 37/sup 0/C, whereas 70 mM LiCl, sodium acetate and NaCl or 140 mM mannitol had no effect. They attribute the apparent linear relationship between Gly transport in blastocysts and the square of the (Na/sup +/), observed when choline was substituted for Na/sup +/ in Brinster's medium, to concomitant, concentration-dependent enhancement and inhibition of transport by Na/sup +/ and choline, respectively. As expected, Gly uptake and the (Na/sup +/) were linearly related up to 116 mM Na/sup +/, when Na/sup +/ was replaced with Li/sup +/. The rates of Na/sup +/-independent Gly and Ala uptake were <5% and <2% of the total, respectively, and similar when either Li/sup +/ or choline replaced Na/sup +/. Therefore, neither Li/sup +/ nor choline appears to substitute for Na/sup +/ in supporting Na/sup +/-dependent transport in blastocysts. Na/sup +/-independent Leu uptake was 20 times faster than Gly or Ala uptake and appeared to be inhibited by choline in blastocysts since it was about 37% slower when choline instead of Li/sup +/ was substituted for Na/sup +/. In contrast to blastocysts, choline had no effect on amino acid transport in cleavage-stage mouse embryos. The unexpected sensitivity of transport to choline in blastocysts underscores the importance of testing the effects of this substance when it is used to replace Na/sup +/ in new transport studies.

Liver receptor homolog 1 (Lrh1, also known as Nr5a2) belongs to the orphan nuclear receptor superfamily and has diverse functions in development, metabolism, and cell differentiation and death. Lrh1 regulates the expression of Oct4, which is a key factor of early embryonic differentiation. However, the role of Lrh1 in early development of mammalian embryo is unknown. In the present study, the localization, Lrh1 mRNA expression, and LRH1 protein levels in porcine early parthenotes were examined by immunofluorescence and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. To determine the role of Lrh1 in porcine early embryo development, the parthenotes were treated with the specific LRH1 antagonist 505601. The immunofluorescence signal for LRH1 was only observed in the nucleus of blastocysts. The blastocyst developmental rate in the presence of 50 and 100 μM 505601 was significantly lower than that in the control group. The blastocyst hatching rate was also reduced in the presence of 50 and 100 μM 505601 than that under control conditions. The latter effect was possibly due to the decreased expression of hatching-related genes such as Fn1, Itgα5, and Cox2 upon the inhibition of Lrh1. Incubation with the LRH1 antagonist also increased the number of apoptotic cells among the blastocysts. Moreover, LRH1 inhibition enhanced the expression of the pro-apoptotic genes Bax and Casp3, and reduced the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl2. Lrh1 inhibition also led to significant decrease in the expression levels of Oct4 mRNA and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) protein in the blastocysts. In conclusion, Lrh1 affects blastocyst formation and hatching in porcine embryonic development through the regulation of OCT4 expression and cell apoptosis. PMID:26971889

This retrospective cohort study compared outcomes from transfer of embryos cryopreserved at the pronuclear versus blastocyst stage following 'freeze-all' IVF cycles without fresh transfer for 87 consecutive IVF patients <40 years, who underwent cryopreservation of all viable embryos followed by at least one subsequent frozen embryo transfer (FET) between January 2003 and July 2007. Cryopreservation of all embryos from one oocyte retrieval was performed at either the pronuclear (1.5 mol/l propanediol and 0.1 mol/l sucrose) (group A) or blastocyst (10% glycerol) (group B) stage. Main outcome measures included survival, live birth and implantation rates. A total of 110 FET cycles were analysed. Live birth and implantation rates observed after the first FET were significantly higher (P=0.025 and P=0.002) in group B (67.7% and 40.8%) than in group A (41.1% and 21.5%) despite a higher survival rate in group A. After two FET cycles, 32.1% of group A had not conceived despite thaw of all available embryos, compared with 6.5% of group B. When freeze-all is necessary, blastocyst cryopreservation leads to higher implantation and live birth rates compared with pronuclear-stage cryopreservation despite lower survival rates. Prolonged embryo culture may allow for more optimal embryo selection. PMID:20638905

The research focus in this group is state-to-state dynamics of reaction and energy transfer in collisions of free radicals such as H, OH, and CH{sub 3} with H{sub 2}, alkanes, alcohols and other hydrogen-containing molecules. The motivation for the work is the desire to provide a detailed understanding of the chemical dynamics of prototype reactions that are important in the production and utilization of energy sources, most importantly in combustion. The work is primarily experimental, but with an important and growing theoretical/computational component. The focus of this research program is now on reactions in which at least one of the reactants and one of the products is polyatomic. The objective is to determine how the high dimensionality of the reactants and products differentiates such reactions from atom + diatom reactions of the same kinematics and energetics. The experiments use highly time-resolved laser spectroscopic methods to prepare reactant states and analyze the states of the products on a single-collision time scale. The primary spectroscopic tool for product state analysis is coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy. CARS is used because of its generality and because the extraction of quantum state populations from CARS spectra is straightforward. The combination of the generality and easy analysis of CARS makes possible absolute cross section measurements (both state-to-state and total), a particularly valuable capability for characterizing reactive and inelastic collisions. Reactant free radicals are produced by laser photolysis of appropriate precursors. For reactant vibrational excitation stimulated Raman techniques are being developed and implemented.

Time-lapse monitoring of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos may help to predict developmental success and increase birth and embryonic stem cells (ESC) derivation rates. Here, the development of ICSI fertilized embryos and of SCNT embryos, non-treated or treated with either psammaplin A (PsA) or vitamin C (VitC), was monitored, and the ESC derivation rates from the resulting blastocysts were determined. Blastocyst rates were similar among PsA-treated and VitC-treated SCNT embryos and ICSI embryos, but lower for non-treated SCNT embryos. ESC derivation rates were higher in treated SCNT embryos than in non-treated or ICSI embryos. Time-lapse microscopy analysis showed that non-treated SCNT embryos had a delayed development from the second division until compaction, lower number of blastomeres at compaction and longer compaction and cavitation durations compared with ICSI ones. Treatment of SCNT embryos with PsA further increased this delay whereas treatment with VitC slightly reduced it, suggesting that both treatments act through different mechanisms, not necessarily related to their epigenetic effects. Despite these differences, the time of completion of the third division, alone or combined with the duration of compaction and/or the presence of fragmentation, had a strong predictive value for blastocyst formation in all groups. In contrast, we failed to predict ESC derivation success from embryo morphokinetics. Time-lapse technology allows the selection of SCNT embryos with higher developmental potential and could help to increase cloning outcomes. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to find reliable markers for full-term development and ESC derivation success. PMID:26621919

capsule loss (70%) compared with the indirect introduction treatment group (31%). The pregnancy rate after transfer of vitrified expanded Grade 1 blastocysts using the indirect introduction method was 83% (5/6). Three pregnancies were allowed to continue to term and resulted in the birth of three healthy foals. The vitrification protocol used in this study has the potential to become a key tool for the successful cryopreservation of equine expanded blastocysts. PMID:26639642

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different methods of bovine oocyte activation following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in terms of oocyte cleavage and blastocyst rates, and calf production. Oocytes were harvested, post mortem, from the ovaries of Japanese Black heifers or cows. ICSI was carried out using a piezo-electric actuator. The injected or sham-injected oocytes that were assigned to three activation treatments, each replicated three times, were studied: (1) exposure to 5 microM ionomycin for 5 min (ionomycin); (2) exposure to 5 microM ionomycin for 5 min followed by culture in TCM199 for 3 h and a further 3h culture in 1.9 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP-ionomycin+DMAP); (3) exposure to 7% ethanol in TCM199 for 5 min, 4 h after ICSI (ethanol). One or two blastocysts from the ionomycin+DMAP (8 recipients) and ethanol (17 recipients) oocyte activation treatments were non-surgically transferred into Holsteins for the study of calf production. The highest cleavage and blastocyst production rates were observed in the ionomycin+DMAP treatment (83.9% and 40.1%) by the ICSI. These rates were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those for the ionomycin oocyte activation treatment (57.6% and 18.2%) but did not differ from the ethanol treatment (75.6% and 29.4%). In the sham-injected, the highest blastocyst production rates were observed for the ionomycin+DMAP and ethanol treatments (10.7% and 11.3%). Pregnancy and birth rates for blastocysts derived from the ethanol oocyte activation treatment (58.8% and 47.4%) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the ionomycin+DMAP treatment (12.5% and 9.2%). The results showed that post-ICSI oocyte activation with ethanol is more effective than activation with ionomycin alone or with ionomycin+DMAP for the production of viable blastocysts and calves. PMID:15766799

The steady-state temperature of a single node which dissipates energy by radiation only is discussed for a nontime varying thermal environment. Relationships are developed to illustrate how shields can be utilized to represent a louver system. A computer program is presented which can assess periodic temperature characteristics of a single node in a time varying thermal environment having energy dissipation by radiation only. The computer program performs thermal orbital analysis for five combinations of plate, shields, and louvers.

The study is conducted to evaluate the heat transfer characteristics of two new and versatile enhancement configurations in a double tube heat exchanger annulus. The novelty is that they are usable in single phase forced convection, evaporation and condensation. Heat transfer coefficients are determined by the Wilson Plot technique in laminar and turbulent flow and correlations are proposed for Nusselt numbers. Comparisons are then made between heat transfer and flow friction.

Objective Under estrogen deficiency, blastocysts cannot initiate implantation and enter dormancy. Dormant blastocysts live longer in utero than normal blastocysts, and autophagy has been suggested as a mechanism underlying the sustained survival of dormant blastocysts during delayed implantation. Autophagy is a cellular degradation pathway and a central component of the integrated stress response. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced within cells during normal metabolism, but their levels increase dramatically under stressful conditions. We investigated whether heightened autophagy in dormant blastocysts is associated with the increased oxidative stress under the unfavorable condition of delayed implantation. Methods To visualize ROS production, day 8 (short-term dormancy) and day 20 (long-term dormancy) dormant blastocysts were loaded with 1-µM 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, acetyl ester (CM-H2DCFDA). To block autophagic activation, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and wortmannin were used in vivo and in vitro, respectively. Results We observed that ROS production was not significantly affected by the status of dormancy; in other words, both dormant and activated blastocysts showed high levels of ROS. However, ROS production was higher in the dormant blastocysts of the long-term dormancy group than in those of the short-term group. The addition of wortmannin to dormant blastocysts in vitro and 3-MA injection in vivo significantly increased ROS production in the short-term dormant blastocysts. In the long-term dormant blastocysts, ROS levels were not significantly affected by the treatment of the autophagy inhibitor. Conclusion During delayed implantation, heightened autophagy in dormant blastocysts may be operative as a potential mechanism to reduce oxidative stress. Further, ROS may be one of the potential causes of compromised developmental competence of long-term dormant blastocysts after implantation. PMID:25309857

Although selection of chromosomally normal embryos has the potential to improve outcomes for patients undergoing IVF, the clinical impact of aneuploidy screening by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been controversial. There are many putative explanations including sampling error due to mosaicism, negative impact of biopsy, a lack of comprehensive chromosome screening, the possibility of embryo self-correction and poor predictive value of the technology itself. Direct analysis of the negative predictive value of FISH-based aneuploidy screening for an embryo's reproductive potential has not been performed. Although previous studies have found that cleavage-stage FISH is poorly predictive of aneuploidy in morphologically normal blastocysts, putative explanations have not been investigated. The present study used a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray-based 24 chromosome aneuploidy screening technology to re-evaluate morphologically normal blastocysts that were diagnosed as aneuploid by FISH at the cleavage stage. Mosaicism and preferential segregation of aneuploidy to the trophectoderm (TE) were evaluated by characterization of multiple sections of the blastocyst. SNP microarray technology also provided the first opportunity to evaluate self-correction mechanisms involving extrusion or duplication of aneuploid chromosomes resulting in uniparental disomy (UPD). Of all blastocysts evaluated (n = 50), 58% were euploid in all sections despite an aneuploid FISH result. Aneuploid blastocysts displayed no evidence of preferential segregation of abnormalities to the TE. In addition, extrusion or duplication of aneuploid chromosomes resulting in UPD did not occur. These findings support the conclusion that cleavage-stage FISH technology is poorly predictive of aneuploidy in morphologically normal blastocysts. PMID:20479065

STUDY QUESTION Is an elective single-embryo transfer (eSET) policy an efficient approach for women aged >35 years when embryo selection is enhanced via blastocyst culture and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS)? SUMMARY ANSWER Elective SET coupled with enhanced embryo selection using PGS in women older than 35 years reduced the multiple pregnancy rates while maintaining the cumulative success rate of the IVF programme. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Multiple pregnancies mean an increased risk of premature birth and perinatal death and occur mainly in older patients when multiple embryos are transferred to increase the chance of pregnancy. A SET policy is usually recommended in cases of good prognosis patients, but no general consensus has been reached for SET application in the advanced maternal age (AMA) population, defined as women older than 35 years. Our objective was to evaluate the results in terms of efficacy, efficiency and safety of an eSET policy coupled with increased application of blastocyst culture and PGS for this population of patients in our IVF programme. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION In January 2013, a multidisciplinary intervention involving optimization of embryo selection procedure and introduction of an eSET policy in an AMA population of women was implemented. This is a retrospective 4-year (January 2010–December 2013) pre- and post-intervention analysis, including 1161 and 499 patients in the pre- and post-intervention period, respectively. The primary outcome measures were the cumulative delivery rate (DR) per oocyte retrieval cycle and multiple DR. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Surplus oocytes and/or embryos were vitrified during the entire study period. In the post-intervention period, all couples with good quality embryos and less than two previous implantation failures were offered eSET. Embryo selection was enhanced by blastocyst culture and PGS (blastocyst stage biopsy and 24-chromosomal screening). Elective SET was also

We theoretically show how the spin orientation of a single magnetic adatom can be controlled by spin polarized electrons in a scanning tunnelling microscope configuration. The underlying physical mechanism is spin assisted inelastic tunnelling. Experiments with Mn adatoms deposited on a Cu2N surface have been reported for non-polarized currents [1-2]. We show that by changing the direction of the applied current, the orientation of the magnetic adatom can be completely reversed on a time scale that ranges from a few nanoseconds to microseconds, depending on bias and temperature. The changes in the adatom magnetization direction are, in turn, reflected in the tunnelling conductance. Therefore, this effect opens the possibility of writing/reading a single spin without the need of a local magnetic field.[4pt] [1] C.F. Hirjibehedin, C. P. Lutz, A. J. Heinrich, Science 312, 1021 (2006).[0pt] [2] C. Hirjibehedin et al., Science 317, 1199 (2007).

Full integration of graphene into conventional device circuitry would require a reproducible large scale graphene synthesis that is compatible with conventional thin film technology. We report the synthesis of large scale single layer graphene directly onto an evaporated copper film. A novel fabrication method was used to directly pattern these graphene sheets into devices by simply removing the underlying copper film. Raman and conductance measurements show that the mechanical and electrical properties of our single layer graphene are uniform over a large area, ( Ferrari, A. C. et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006, 97, 187401.) which leads to a high device yield and successful fabrication of ultra long (>0.5 mm) graphene channels. Our graphene based devices present excellent electrical properties including a promising carrier mobility of 700 cm(2)/V.s and current saturation characteristics similar to devices based on exfoliated graphene ( Meric, I.. et al. Nat Nanotechnol. 2008, 3, 654-659). PMID:19860406

A fouling model was developed on the premise that the chemical reaction for generation of precursor can take place in the bulk fluid, in the thermalboundary layer, or at the fluid/wall interface, depending upon the interactive effects of flu id dynamics, heat and mass transfer, and the controlling chemical reaction. The analysis was used to examine the experimental data for fouling deposition of polyperoxides produced by autoxidation of indene in kerosene. The effects of fluid and wall temperatures for two flow geometries were analyzed. The results showed that the relative effects of physical parameters on the fouling rate would differ for the three fouling mechanisms; therefore, it is important to identify the controlling mechanism in applying the closed-flow-loop data to industrial conditions.

Multicellular assemblages of microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature, and the proximity afforded by aggregation is thought to permit intercellular metabolic coupling that can accommodate otherwise unfavourable reactions. Consortia of methane-oxidizing archaea and sulphate-reducing bacteria are a well-known environmental example of microbial co-aggregation; however, the coupling mechanisms between these paired organisms is not well understood, despite the attention given them because of the global significance of anaerobic methane oxidation. Here we examined the influence of interspecies spatial positioning as it relates to biosynthetic activity within structurally diverse uncultured methane-oxidizing consortia by measuring stable isotope incorporation for individual archaeal and bacterial cells to constrain their potential metabolic interactions. In contrast to conventional models of syntrophy based on the passage of molecular intermediates, cellular activities were found to be independent of both species intermixing and distance between syntrophic partners within consortia. A generalized model of electric conductivity between co-associated archaea and bacteria best fit the empirical data. Combined with the detection of large multi-haem cytochromes in the genomes of methanotrophic archaea and the demonstration of redox-dependent staining of the matrix between cells in consortia, these results provide evidence for syntrophic coupling through direct electron transfer. PMID:26375009

Multicellular assemblages of microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature, and the proximity afforded by aggregation is thought to permit intercellular metabolic coupling that can accommodate otherwise unfavourable reactions. Consortia of methane-oxidizing archaea and sulphate-reducing bacteria are a well-known environmental example of microbial co-aggregation; however, the coupling mechanisms between these paired organisms is not well understood, despite the attention given them because of the global significance of anaerobic methane oxidation. Here we examined the influence of interspecies spatial positioning as it relates to biosynthetic activity within structurally diverse uncultured methane-oxidizing consortia by measuring stable isotope incorporation for individual archaeal and bacterial cells to constrain their potential metabolic interactions. In contrast to conventional models of syntrophy based on the passage of molecular intermediates, cellular activities were found to be independent of both species intermixing and distance between syntrophic partners within consortia. A generalized model of electric conductivity between co-associated archaea and bacteria best fit the empirical data. Combined with the detection of large multi-haem cytochromes in the genomes of methanotrophic archaea and the demonstration of redox-dependent staining of the matrix between cells in consortia, these results provide evidence for syntrophic coupling through direct electron transfer.

Blastocyst activation, a process for the blastocyst to achieve implantation competency is equally important as attainment of uterine receptivity for the success of embryo implantation. While a wide range of regulatory molecules have been identified as essential players in conferring uterine receptivity in both laboratory animal models and humans, it remains largely unknown how blastocysts achieve implantation competency. This chapter will highlight our current knowledge about the mechanisms governing the process of blastocyst activation. A better understanding of this periimplantation event is hoped to alleviate female infertility and help to develop novel contraceptives and new strategies for accessing embryo quality in clinical practice. PMID:24698984

This research addressed electron donar properties and radical reactions in coal. Solid residues from pyridine Soxhlet extractions of Pocahontas No. 3, Upper Freeport, Pittsburgh No. 8, Illinois No. 6 and Wyodak coals were exposed to 4-vinylpyridine vapors and swelled. All of the 4-vinylpyridine could not be removed under vacuum at 100{degree}C. Diffuse reflectance FTIR revealed the presence of poly-(4-vinylpyridine) in the Illinois No. 6 and Wyodak coals. EPR spectra displayed the loss of inertinite radicals in Upper Freeport, Illinois No. 6 and Wyodak residues after exposure to 4-vinylpyridine. There was little change in the vitrinite radical density or environment. The molecule N,N{prime}-Diphenyl-p-phenylene diamine (DPPD) was exposed to the solid residues from pyridine Soxhlet extractions of the above coals. Diffuse reflectance FTIR failed to detect the imine product from radical reaction with DPPD. EPR spectra displayed the loss of inertinite radicals in Upper Freeport and Wyodak residues. 7,7,8,8-Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and Tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) were deposited into coals in pyridine. FTIR indicated complete conversion of TCNQ to a material with a singly occupied LUMO. In TCNE the LUMO is about 30% occupied. TCNQ and TCNE were deposited into the pyridine extracts and residues of Illinois No. 6 and Pittsburgh No. 8 coals. Only a small amount of the TCNQ and TCNE displayed nitrile shifts in the IR spectrum of a material with an occupied LUMO. It has been concluded that TCNQ must be part of the aromatic stacks in coal and the TCNQ LUMO is part of an extended band.

Cells of the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocyst differentiate into the pluripotent epiblast or the primitive endoderm (PrE), marked by the transcription factors NANOG and GATA6, respectively. To investigate the mechanistic regulation of this process, we applied an unbiased, quantitative, single-cell-resolution image analysis pipeline to analyze embryos lacking or exhibiting reduced levels of GATA6. We find that Gata6 mutants exhibit a complete absence of PrE and demonstrate that GATA6 levels regulate the timing and speed of lineage commitment within the ICM. Furthermore, we show that GATA6 is necessary for PrE specification by FGF signaling and propose a model where interactions between NANOG, GATA6, and the FGF/ERK pathway determine ICM cell fate. This study provides a framework for quantitative analyses of mammalian embryos and establishes GATA6 as a nodal point in the gene regulatory network driving ICM lineage specification. PMID:24835466

The expression of specific developmentally important genes in preimplantation embryos is an accepted marker for unraveling the influence of single factors in studies that are mostly related to artificial reproduction techniques. Such studies, however, often reveal high levels of heterogeneity between single embryos, independently of the influence of factors of interest. A possible explanation for this variation could be the large variety of physiological and environmental factors to which early embryos are exposed and their ability to react to them. Here, we investigated several potentially important parameters of development at the same time, in blastocysts of the wild guinea pig (Cavia aperea) generated in vivo after natural mating. The optimal time for flushing fully developed blastocysts was between 123 and 126 hours after mating. The abundance of POU5F1 (P = 0.042), BAX (P

The field of molecular electronics aims at using single molecules as functional building blocks for electronics components, such as switches, rectifiers or transistors. A key challenge is to perform measurements with atomistic control over the alignment of the molecule and its contacting electrodes. Here we use atomic force microscopy to examine charge transfer between weakly coupled pentacene molecules on insulating films with single-electron sensitivity and control over the atomistic details. We show that, in addition to the imaging capability, the probe tip can be used to control the charge state of individual molecules and to detect charge transfers to/from the tip, as well as between individual molecules. Our approach represents a novel route for molecular charge transfer studies with a host of opportunities, especially in combination with single atom/molecule manipulation and nanopatterning techniques. PMID:26387533

The field of molecular electronics aims at using single molecules as functional building blocks for electronics components, such as switches, rectifiers or transistors. A key challenge is to perform measurements with atomistic control over the alignment of the molecule and its contacting electrodes. Here we use atomic force microscopy to examine charge transfer between weakly coupled pentacene molecules on insulating films with single-electron sensitivity and control over the atomistic details. We show that, in addition to the imaging capability, the probe tip can be used to control the charge state of individual molecules and to detect charge transfers to/from the tip, as well as between individual molecules. Our approach represents a novel route for molecular charge transfer studies with a host of opportunities, especially in combination with single atom/molecule manipulation and nanopatterning techniques.

The field of molecular electronics aims at using single molecules as functional building blocks for electronics components, such as switches, rectifiers or transistors. A key challenge is to perform measurements with atomistic control over the alignment of the molecule and its contacting electrodes. Here we use atomic force microscopy to examine charge transfer between weakly coupled pentacene molecules on insulating films with single-electron sensitivity and control over the atomistic details. We show that, in addition to the imaging capability, the probe tip can be used to control the charge state of individual molecules and to detect charge transfers to/from the tip, as well as between individual molecules. Our approach represents a novel route for molecular charge transfer studies with a host of opportunities, especially in combination with single atom/molecule manipulation and nanopatterning techniques. PMID:26387533

Junctions between a single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and a monolayer of graphene are fabricated and studied for the first time. A single layer graphene (SLG) sheet grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is transferred onto a SiO₂/Si wafer with aligned CVD-grown SWNTs. Raman spectroscopy is used to identify metallic-SWNT/SLG junctions, and a method for spectroscopic deconvolution of the overlapping G peaks of the SWNT and the SLG is reported, making use of the polarization dependence of the SWNT. A comparison of the Raman peak positions and intensities of the individual SWNT and graphene to those of the SWNT-graphene junction indicates an electron transfer of 1.12 × 10¹³ cm⁻² from the SWNT to the graphene. This direction of charge transfer is in agreement with the work functions of the SWNT and graphene. The compression of the SWNT by the graphene increases the broadening of the radial breathing mode (RBM) peak from 3.6 ± 0.3 to 4.6 ± 0.5 cm⁻¹ and of the G peak from 13 ± 1 to 18 ± 1 cm⁻¹, in reasonable agreement with molecular dynamics simulations. However, the RBM and G peak position shifts are primarily due to charge transfer with minimal contributions from strain. With this method, the ability to dope graphene with nanometer resolution is demonstrated. PMID:23281165

Background Understanding the molecular basis of embryonic implantation is of great clinical and biological relevance. Little is currently known about the adhesion receptors that determine endometrial receptivity for embryonic implantation in humans. Methods and Principal Findings Using two human endometrial cell lines characterized by low and high receptivity, we identified the membrane receptor CD98 as a novel molecule selectively and significantly associated with the receptive phenotype. In human endometrial samples, CD98 was the only molecule studied whose expression was restricted to the implantation window in human endometrial tissue. CD98 expression was restricted to the apical surface and included in tetraspanin-enriched microdomains of primary endometrial epithelial cells, as demonstrated by the biochemical association between CD98 and tetraspanin CD9. CD98 expression was induced in vitro by treatment of primary endometrial epithelial cells with human chorionic gonadotropin, 17-β-estradiol, LIF or EGF. Endometrial overexpression of CD98 or tetraspanin CD9 greatly enhanced mouse blastocyst adhesion, while their siRNA-mediated depletion reduced the blastocyst adhesion rate. Conclusions These results indicate that CD98, a component of tetraspanin-enriched microdomains, appears to be an important determinant of human endometrial receptivity during the implantation window. PMID:20976164

Due to its ability to track distance changes within individual molecules or molecular complexes on the nanometer scale and in real time, single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (single-molecule FRET) is a powerful tool to tackle a wide range of important biological questions. Using our recently developed single-molecule FRET assay to monitor nucleosome translocation as an illustrative example, we describe here in detail how to set up, carry out, and analyze single-molecule FRET experiments that provide time-dependent information on biomolecular processes. PMID:22929765

Truncated linear models based on constrained and unconstrained mode expansions for a flexible link with torque actuation at its hub led us to examine the behavior of the open-loop-zeros of five commonly used SISO transfer functions. We arrive at new conclusions with regard to minimum- and non-minimum-phase zeros, and passivity of the transfer functions. The flexible-to-rigid inertia (FRI) ratio plays an important role in the determination of these characteristics. This paper illustrates how the zero locations of some of the transfer functions are dramatically affected by the FRI ratio. We also investigate the performance of a hub angle, hub rate, and relative tip position static feedback controller based on a reduced-order constrained mode model when applied to both unconstrained and constrained mode models of the same dimension. Simulations indicate that the constrained model can be stable while the unconstrained model is not for high FRI ratios. Our findings can provide useful information to designers in cases where the controller is sensitive to the 1ocation of the plant's zeros.

A theoretical analysis of proton transfer process for the symmetric systems with two intramolecular hydrogen bonds, bis-3,6-(2-benzoxazolyl)-pyrocatechol(BBPC) in hexane solvent, has been researched. In this study, we utilized ωB97X-D/ 6-311 + g (d,p) and B3LYP/6-31 + G(d) two procedures calculating the foremost bond length and bond angle, respectively. Our calculations demonstrate the two intramolecular hydrogen bonds were strengthened in S1 state, thus the proton transfer reaction can be facilitated. Furthermore, the calculated IR vibrational spectra confirmed hydrogen bonds were enhanced in S1 state. We found three local minima A B and C from the potential energy surfaces (PESs) on the S1 state, and the energy of B point and C point are identical. A new ESIPT mechanism has been proposed that was not equal to the previous conclusions. The new ESIPT mechanism elucidates that single proton transfer more likely occurs in the symmetric BBPC molecule in comparison with the double proton transfer reaction. And the frontier molecular orbitals(MOs) further illustrate the trend of ESIPT reaction.

A theoretical analysis of proton transfer process for the symmetric systems with two intramolecular hydrogen bonds, bis-3,6-(2-benzoxazolyl)-pyrocatechol(BBPC) in hexane solvent, has been researched. In this study, we utilized ωB97X-D/ 6-311 + g (d,p) and B3LYP/6-31 + G(d) two procedures calculating the foremost bond length and bond angle, respectively. Our calculations demonstrate the two intramolecular hydrogen bonds were strengthened in S1 state, thus the proton transfer reaction can be facilitated. Furthermore, the calculated IR vibrational spectra confirmed hydrogen bonds were enhanced in S1 state. We found three local minima A B and C from the potential energy surfaces (PESs) on the S1 state, and the energy of B point and C point are identical. A new ESIPT mechanism has been proposed that was not equal to the previous conclusions. The new ESIPT mechanism elucidates that single proton transfer more likely occurs in the symmetric BBPC molecule in comparison with the double proton transfer reaction. And the frontier molecular orbitals(MOs) further illustrate the trend of ESIPT reaction. PMID:27157994

Viable lambs can be produced after transfer of in vitro-derived embryos from oocytes harvested from prepubertal lambs. However, this occurs at a much lower efficiency than from adult ewe oocyte donors. The reduced competence of prepubertal oocytes is believed to be due, at least in part, to deficiencies in cytoplasmic maturation. Differences in the cytoplasmic ultrastructure between prepubertal and adult oocytes have been described in the sheep, pig, and cow. Prepubertal lamb oocytes have been shown to have a different distribution of mitochondria and lipid droplets, and less mitochondria and storage vesicles than their adult counterparts. L-carnitine plays a role in supplying energy to the cell by transporting long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria for β-oxidation to produce ATP. Both L-carnitine and its derivative acetyl-L-carnitine have been reported to increase the blastocyst rate of oocytes from mice, cows, and pigs, treated during IVM. L-carnitine has also been shown to increase mitochondrial biogenesis in adipose cells. Therefore, the aims of this study were to determine if treatment of oocytes from prepubertal lambs with acetyl-L-carnitine during IVM could increase the blastocyst rate and alter mitochondria, vesicle, or lipid droplet number, volume, or distribution. The blastocyst rate was doubled in prepubertal lamb oocytes treated with acetyl-L-carnitine when compared to untreated oocytes (10.0% and 4.6%, respectively; P = 0.028). Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and stereology techniques were used to quantify organelles in untreated and acetyl-L-carnitine-treated lamb oocytes, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods were used to measure the mitochondrial DNA copy number. There were no differences in mitochondrial volume, number, or mitochondrial DNA copy number. Acetyl-L-carnitine treatment increased the cytoplasmic volume (P = 0.015) of the oocytes, and there were trends toward an increase in the vesicle volume (P = 0

The role of proton transfer in the photoluminescence intermittency (PI) of single molecules of violamine R (VR) overgrown in potassium acid phthalate (KAP) crystals is evaluated in comparisons of protonated (KAP) and deuterated (DKAP) mixed crystals between 23 and 60 °C. The PI is analyzed by the construction of cumulative distribution functions that are statistically compared. We find that the on- and off-interval duration distributions change with isotopic substitution consistent with proton transfer contributing to the PI of VR. The on- and off-interval duration distributions have distinct temperature dependencies consistent with different mechanisms for dark state production and decay. Additional evidence for proton-transfer is provided by distributions of single molecule emission-energy maxima that reflect emission from protonated and deprotonated VR. A mechanism for the PI of KAP is presented, where the dark state is assigned to formation of the colorless, leuco form of VR, formed by proton transfer from VR to the KAP lattice, and decay of the dark state involves ring-opening promoted by proton transfer from KAP to VR. The distributed kinetics for dark-state production and decay are modeled using a log-normal distribution for the PI data in preference to a power-law previously assumed. A discussion of the log-normal distribution with regards to PI and proton transfer is presented. PMID:22913588

The often observed tailing of tracer breakthrough curves is caused by a multitude of mass transfer processes taking place over multiple scales. Yet, in some cases, it is convenient to fit a transport model with a single-rate mass transfer coefficient that lumps all the non-Fickian observed behavior. Since mass transfer processes take place at all characteristic times, the single-rate mass transfer coefficient derived from measurements in the laboratory or in the field vary with time ω>(t>). The literature review and tracer experiments compiled by Haggerty et al. (2004) from a number of sites worldwide suggest that the characteristic mass transfer time, which is proportional to ω>(t>)-1, scales as a power law of the advective and experiment duration. This paper studies the mathematical equivalence between the multirate mass transfer model (MRMT) and a time-dependent single-rate mass transfer model (t-SRMT). In doing this, we provide new insights into the previously observed scale-dependence of mass transfer coefficients. The memory function, g(t), which is the most salient feature of the MRMT model, determines the influence of the past values of concentrations on its present state. We found that the t-SRMT model can also be expressed by means of a memory function φ>(t,τ>). In this case, though the memory function is nonstationary, meaning that in general it cannot be written as φ>(t-τ>). Nevertheless, the full behavior of the concentrations using a single time-dependent rate ω>(t>) is approximately analogous to that of the MRMT model provided that the equality ω>(t>)=-dln⁡g>(t>)/dt holds and the field capacity is properly chosen. This relationship suggests that when the memory function is a power law, g>(t>)˜t1-k, the equivalent mass transfer coefficient scales as ω>(t>)˜t-1, nicely fitting without calibration the estimated mass transfer coefficients compiled by Haggerty et al. (2004).

Wide-angle exclusive Compton scattering and single-pion photoproduction from the proton have been investigated via measurement of the polarization transfer from a circularly polarized photon beam to the recoil proton. The wide-angle Compton scattering polarization transfer was analyzed at an incident photon energy of 3.7 GeV at a proton scattering angle of θcmp=70 ° . The longitudinal transfer KLL, measured to be 0.645 ±0.059 ±0.048 , where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic, has the same sign as predicted for the reaction mechanism in which the photon interacts with a single quark carrying the spin of the proton. However, the observed value is ˜3 times larger than predicted by the generalized-parton-distribution-based calculations, which indicates a significant unknown contribution to the scattering amplitude.

Regarding single bus transfer junction as a research object, this paper constructs the urban traffic network models with multi-weights taking different bus lines in bus transfer junction as the network nodes, that is, the urban traffic network with multi-weights is given different properties weights at every edge. According to the method of network split, the complex network with multi-weights is split into several different single weighted complex networks. Then, we study the global synchronization of the new network model by changing congestion degrees, transfers coefficient and passenger flow density between different bus lines. Finally, analytical and simulated results are given to show the impact of different properties weights to the public traffic network balance.

Wide-angle exclusive Compton scattering and single-pion photoproduction from the proton have been investigated via measurement of the polarization transfer from a circularly polarized photon beam to the recoil proton. The WACS polarization transfer was analyzed at an incident photon energy of 3.7 GeV at a proton scattering angle of θPcm = 70°. The longitudinal transfer KLL, measured to be 0.645 ± 0.059 ± 0.048, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic, has the same sign as predicted for the reaction mechanism in which the photon interacts with a single quark carrying the spin of the proton. However, the observed value is ~3 times larger than predicted by the GPD-based calculations, which indicates a significant unknown contribution to the scattering amplitude.

Wide-angle exclusive Compton scattering and single-pion photoproduction from the proton have been investigated via measurement of the polarization transfer from a circularly polarized photon beam to the recoil proton. The WACS polarization transfer was analyzed at an incident photon energy of 3.7 GeV at a proton scattering angle of θPcm = 70°. The longitudinal transfer KLL, measured to be 0.645 ± 0.059 ± 0.048, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic, has the same sign as predicted for the reaction mechanism in which the photon interacts with a single quark carrying the spin of the proton.more » However, the observed value is ~3 times larger than predicted by the GPD-based calculations, which indicates a significant unknown contribution to the scattering amplitude.« less

The transmittance transfer function of single mode optical fibers operating in both linear and nonlinear regions is presented. For the linear domain, Fresnel sine and cosine integrals are obtained via the Fourier transform. In the nonlinear region dominated by self-phase-modulation effects, the Volterra series is essential to obtain the nonlinear transfer function. A convergence criterion for the Volterra series transfer function (VSTF) approach is described for solving the nonlinear Schrödinger wave propagation equation. Soliton transmission over single fibers is demonstrated as a case study of the application of the VSTF and a modified VSTF with a number of segmented steps whose distance is within the limit of the convergence of the VSTF. PMID:19568291

Wide-angle exclusive Compton scattering and single-pion photoproduction from the proton have been investigated via measurement of the polarization transfer from a circularly polarized photon beam to the recoil proton. The wide-angle Compton scattering polarization transfer was analyzed at an incident photon energy of 3.7 GeV at a proton scattering angle of θ_{cm}^{p}=70°. The longitudinal transfer K_{LL}, measured to be 0.645±0.059±0.048, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic, has the same sign as predicted for the reaction mechanism in which the photon interacts with a single quark carrying the spin of the proton. However, the observed value is ~3 times larger than predicted by the generalized-parton-distribution-based calculations, which indicates a significant unknown contribution to the scattering amplitude. PMID:26550716

This study is a part of an experimental program to measure nuclear moments in transfer reactions. It aims to probe for a first time the nuclear -spin orientation in multi-nucleon transfer. Fist experiments were performed to measure the quadrupole moment of an isomeric state in {sup 66}Cu (I{sup p}i 6{sup -}, E{sub x} = 1154 keV, T{sub 1/2} = 595(20) ns) in single nucleon transfer and the population of mus isomers in {sup 66}Cu and {sup 63}Ni in multi-nucleon transfer. The experimentally tested methodology allows broad applications toward more exotic species and feasibility of these reactions to produce species away from stability.

Nucleate boiling is an effective heat transfer method in power generation systems and cooling devices. In this letter, hybrid graphene/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), graphene, and SWCNT films deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) surfaces were fabricated to investigate the enhancement of nucleate boiling phenomena described by the critical heat flux and heat transfer coefficient. The graphene films were grown on Cu foils and transferred to ITO surfaces. Furthermore, SWCNTs were deposited on the graphene layer to fabricate hybrid graphene/SWCNT films. We determined that the hybrid graphene/SWCNT film deposited on an ITO surface is the most effective heat transfer surface in pool boiling because of the interconnected network of carbon structures. PMID:26731547

Background: Advances in embryo culture technology and cryopreservation have led to a shift in in vitro fertilization (IVF) from early fresh or frozen-thawed cleavage embryo transfer to fresh or frozen-thawed blastocyst stage transfer. Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of fresh embryo transfers and frozen-thawed embryo transfers. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective case control study, patients undergoing IVF cycles from January 2012 to December 2012 were enrolled in Assisted Reproduction of Wuhan Union Hospital were enrolled. A total of 1891 cycle contains 1150 fresh embryo transfers and 741 frozen-thawed embryo transfers were studied. All data were transferred directly to SPSS 18 and analyzed. Results: Clinical pregnancy rates of fresh cleavage-stage embryo transfers compared with fresh blastocysttransfers, frozen-thawed cleavage-stage embryo transfers, post thaw cleavage-stage extended blastocyst culture transfers and frozen-thawed blastocysttransfers were 52.7%, 35.88%, 35.29%, 47.75%, 59.8% in patients under 35 years of ages and 41.24%, 26.92%, 11.32%, 46.15%, 55.8% in patients older than 35 years old, respectively. The multiple pregnancy rates, abortion rates and ectopic pregnancy rates did not differ significantly among the five groups. Conclusion: The clinical pregnancy rates were not different significantly between fresh cleavage-stage embryo transfers and fresh blastocysttransfers. But the clinical pregnancy rate of frozen-thawed blastocysttransfer was the highest among fresh/frozen-thawed embryo transfers. PMID:25071849

The excited-state decay kinetics of single 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) molecules oriented and overgrown within crystals of potassium acid phthalate (KAP) are reported. Time-correlated single-photon counting measurements (TCSPC) of 56 DCF molecules in KAP reveal that single-exponential decay is exhibited by roughly half of the molecules. The remainder demonstrates complex excited-state decay kinetics that are well fit by a stretched exponential function consistent with dispersed kinetics. Histograms of single-molecule luminescence energies revealed environmental fluctuations and distinct chemical species. The TCSPC results are compared to Monte Carlo simulations employing a first-passage model for excited-state decay. Agreement between experiment and theory, on both bulk and single-molecule levels, suggests that a subset of the DCF molecules in KAP experience fluctuations in the surrounding environment that modify the energy barrier to proton transfer leading to dispersed kinetics. PMID:19658424

The ba3-type cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus is a membrane-bound proton pump. Results from earlier studies have shown that with the aa3-type oxidases proton uptake to the catalytic site and “pump site” occur simultaneously. However, with the ba3 oxidase the pump site is loaded before proton transfer to the catalytic site because the proton transfer to the latter is slower than with the aa3 oxidases. In addition, the timing of formation and decay of catalytic intermediates is different in the two types of oxidases. In the present study, we have investigated two mutant ba3 CytcOs in which residues of the proton pathway leading to the catalytic site as well as the pump site were exchanged, Thr312Val and Tyr244Phe. Even though the ba3 CytcO uses only a single proton pathway for transfer of the substrate and “pumped” protons, the amino-acid residue substitutions had distinctly different effects on the kinetics of proton transfer to the catalytic site and the pump site, respectively. The results indicate that the rates of these reactions can be modified independently by replacement of single residues within the proton pathway. Furthermore, the data suggest that the Thr312Val and Tyr244Phe mutations interfere with a structural rearrangement in the proton pathway that is rate limiting for proton transfer to the catalytic site. PMID:24004023

We derive a non-Markovian theory for waiting time distributions of consecutive single electron transfer events. The presented microscopic Pauli rate equation formalism couples the open electrodes to the many-body system, allowing to take finite bias and temperature into consideration. Numerical results reveal transient oscillations of distinct system frequencies due to memory in the waiting time distributions. Memory effects can be approximated by an expansion in non-Markovian corrections. This method is employed to calculate memory landscapes displaying preservation of memory over multiple consecutive electron transfers. PMID:19778104

The effects of lipid-rich bovine serum albumin (LR-BSA) on the development of porcine blastocysts produced in vitro were examined. Addition of 0.5 to 5 mg/ml LR-BSA to porcine blastocyst medium (PBM) from Day 5 (Day 0 = in vitro fertilization) significantly increased the hatching rates of blastocysts on Day 7 and the total cell numbers in Day-7 blastocysts. When Day-5 blastocysts were cultured with PBM alone, PBM containing LR-BSA, recombinant human serum albumin or fatty acid-free BSA, addition of LR-BSA significantly enhanced hatching rates and the cell number in blastocysts that survived compared with other treatments. The diameter, ATP content and numbers of both inner cell mass and total cells in Day-6 and Day-7 blastocysts cultured with PBM containing LR-BSA were significantly higher than in blastocysts cultured with PBM alone, whereas LR-BSA had no effect on mitochondrial membrane potential. The mRNA levels of enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism and β-oxidation (ACSL1, ACSL3, CPT1, CPT2 and KAT) in Day-7 blastocysts were significantly upregulated by the addition of LR-BSA. The results indicated that LR-BSA enhanced hatching ability and quality of porcine blastocysts produced in vitro, as determined by ATP content, blastocyst diameter and expression levels of the specific genes, suggesting that the stimulatory effects of LR-BSA arise from lipids bound to albumin. PMID:26582048

Optimal state transfer of a single two-level system (TLS) coupled to an Ohmic boson bath via off-diagonal TLS-bath coupling is studied by using optimal control theory. In the weak system-bath coupling regime where the time-dependent Bloch-Redfield formalism is applicable, we obtain the Bloch equation to probe the evolution of the dissipative TLS in the presence of a time-dependent external control field. By using the automatic differentiation technique to compute the gradient for the cost functional, we calculate the optimal transfer integral profile that can achieve an ideal transfer within a dimer system in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) model. The robustness of the control profile against temperature variation is also analyzed.

The paper presents experimental results of boiling heat transfer of distilled water and ethyl alcohol on surfaces covered with single layers of wire mesh structures made of phosphor bronze and copper. For each material two kinds of structures have been considered (higher and lower) in order to determine the impact of the height of the structure on boiling heat transfer. The wire diameter of the copper meshes was 0,25 mm and 0,32 mm, while of the bronze meshes: 0,20 mm and 0,25 mm. The structures had the same mesh aperture (distance between the wires - 0,50 mm for copper and 0,40 for bronze) but different wire diameter and, consequently, different height of the layers. The tests have been performed under ambient pressure in the pool boiling mode. The obtained results indicate a visible impact of the layer height on the boiling heat transfer performance of the analysed microstructures.

The in vivo incorporation of TH-uridine into RNA was studied in delayed implanting and activated blastocysts obtained from 33 western spotted skunks. TH-uridine was incorporated into RNA by all blastocysts; however, significantly more label was incorporated as blastocyst diameter increased. Activated blastocysts with diameters of 1.6 mm or greater on average incorporated 65 times more TH-precursor in 5 hr than diapausing blastocysts with diameters of 1.1 mm or less. Polyadenylated RNA was likewise synthesized by delayed implanting and activated skunk blastocysts; however, the proportion of polyadenylated RNA synthesized by the former was greater than in the latter. The data suggest that the transition from embryonic diapause to fully activated blastocysts first occurs gradually for several days before entering a 1-2-day period of rapid development characterized by an abrupt increase in RNA accumulation.

The first measurements using the (d, p) transfer reaction to study single- particle states in nuclei on the expected r-process path have been made at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility. The shell closure at N = 50 has been crossed using the 82Ge(d, p) and 84Se(d, p) reactions. The prop- erties of the lowest-lying states have been determined. Furthermore, the 132Sn(d, p) reaction has been used for the first time to populate single- particle states in 133Sn.

A generalized mathematical model of gas-dynamic and heat transfer processes in single-stage regenerative installations operating in Stirling, MacMahon, Gifford-MacMahon, and pulsating tube cycles is proposed. A numerical method os solving initial equations on a digital computer is given. This makes it possible to calculate the change in the thermodynamic parameters in the working cycle in different machine components, as well as the dependence of cold productivity on the temperature level in the steady regime.

Our research under support of this DOE grant is focused on applied and fundamental aspects of model organic solar cell systems. Major accomplishments are: 1) we developed a spectroelectorchemistry technique of single molecule single nanoparticle method to study charge transfer between conjugated polymers and semiconductor at the single molecule level. The fluorescence of individual fluorescent polymers at semiconductor surfaces was shown to exhibit blinking behavior compared to molecules on glass substrates. Single molecule fluorescence excitation anisotropy measurements showed the conformation of the polymer molecules did not differ appreciably between glass and semiconductor substrates. The similarities in molecular conformation suggest that the observed differences in blinking activity are due to charge transfer between fluorescent polymer and semiconductor, which provides additional pathways between states of high and low fluorescence quantum efficiency. Similar spectroelectrochemistry work has been done for small organic dyes for understand their charge transfer dynamics on various substrates and electrochemical environments; 2) We developed a method of transferring semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets into organic solvent for a potential electron acceptor in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells which employed polymer semiconductor as the electron donor. Electron transfer from the polymer semiconductor to semiconductor and GO in solutions and thin films was established through fluorescence spectroscopy and electroluminescence measurements. Solar cells containing these materials were constructed and evaluated using transient absorption spectroscopy and dynamic fluorescence techniques to understand the charge carrier generation and recombination events; 3) We invented a spectroelectorchemistry technique using light scattering and electroluminescence for rapid size determination and studying electrochemistry of single NPs in an

Receptivity is a limited time in which uterine endometrium can establish a successful dialogue with blastocyst. This study was to investigate the effect of asynchronous embryo transfer on uterine receptivity in mice. Embryos under different stages were transferred into two oviduct sides of a recipient mouse on day 1 of pseudopregnancy. Our results showed the asynchronously transferred embryos can implant in all groups. Compared to zygote-transfer group, the length of implanted embryos is longer in 8-cell embryo- or blastocyst-transfer group. The levels of Snail and COX-2 immunostaining in blastocyst-transfer group are significantly stronger than that in zygote-transfer group. Embryos in blastocyst-transfer group migrate faster than that in zygote-transfer group within uterus. Blastocysts are in a state of developmental delay after they are transferred into oviducts, and they are reactivated and implanted rapidly in uterus. The developmental rate to newborn in zygote-transfer group is obviously higher than that in blastocyst-transfer group, suggesting that a delay in embryo development and implantation will lead to a decrease of litter size. These results indicated that the window of implantation is differentially regulated in two uterine horns of a recipient by embryos at different stages. PMID:26531680

Receptivity is a limited time in which uterine endometrium can establish a successful dialogue with blastocyst. This study was to investigate the effect of asynchronous embryo transfer on uterine receptivity in mice. Embryos under different stages were transferred into two oviduct sides of a recipient mouse on day 1 of pseudopregnancy. Our results showed the asynchronously transferred embryos can implant in all groups. Compared to zygote-transfer group, the length of implanted embryos is longer in 8-cell embryo- or blastocyst-transfer group. The levels of Snail and COX-2 immunostaining in blastocyst-transfer group are significantly stronger than that in zygote-transfer group. Embryos in blastocyst-transfer group migrate faster than that in zygote-transfer group within uterus. Blastocysts are in a state of developmental delay after they are transferred into oviducts, and they are reactivated and implanted rapidly in uterus. The developmental rate to newborn in zygote-transfer group is obviously higher than that in blastocyst-transfer group, suggesting that a delay in embryo development and implantation will lead to a decrease of litter size. These results indicated that the window of implantation is differentially regulated in two uterine horns of a recipient by embryos at different stages. PMID:26531680

Micro-scaling cryogenic refrigerators, in particular the Joule-Thomson (JT) variety require very good information about heat transfer characteristics of the refrigerants flowing in the microchannels for optimal design and performance. The extremely low Reynolds flow is present in a micro JT cryocooler, the heat transfer characteristics at these conditions require investigation. There are numerous studies regarding heat transfer coefficient measurements of liquid flow in microchannels at/near ambient temperature and high Reynolds flow (Re>2000), that agree well with the conventional correlations. However, results from previous studies of gaseous flow in microchannels at low Reynolds flow (Re<1000) disagree with conventional theory. Moreover, the studies performed at cryogenic temperatures are quite limited in number. In this paper, the single-phase heat transfer coefficients and friction factors for nitrogen are measured at ambient and cryogenic temperatures. The hydraulic diameters for this study are 60, 110 and 180 μm for circular microchannels. The Reynolds numbers varied from a very low value of 10 to 3000. The measured friction factors are comparable to those in macro-scale tubes. The experimental results of the heat transfer indicate that Nusselt numbers derived from measurements are significantly affected by axial conduction at low Reynolds flow (Re<500). The Nusselt numbers at high Reynolds flow (Re>1000) follow conventional theory. The detailed experiment, procedure, and measured results are presented in this paper and discussed regarding deviation from ideal theory at low Reynolds flow.

Objective: This study is to investigate effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on the blastocyst implantation in endometrium. Methods: Pregnant mice were orally administered with BPA. Implantation sites were examined, and serum estrogen level was assayed with ELISA. Protein expression levels were detected with immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. Results: High doses (400 and 600 mg/kg/day) of BPA remarkably reduced the implantation sites in the pregnant mice. No significant differences were observed in the serum estrogen level across the groups. Moreover, high doses (400 and 600 mg/kg/day) of BPA significantly declined the expression level of endometrial estrogen receptor α (ERα) in the pregnant mice. In addition, high doses (400 and 600 mg/kg/day) of BPA significantly declined the expression levels of integrin β3 and trophinin in the endometrium and blastocysts. Conclusion: BPA declines ERα expression in endometrium, and inhibits adhesion protein expression in endometrium and blastocysts, causing the adhesion failure of blastocyst implantation. PMID:26884915

The solid-state structures of organic charge transfer (CT) salts are critical in determining their mode of charge transport, and hence their unusual electrical properties, which range from semiconducting through metallic to superconducting. In contrast, using both theory and experiment, we show here that the conductance of metal |single molecule| metal junctions involving aromatic donor moieties (dialkylterthiophene, dialkylbenzene) increase by over an order of magnitude upon formation of charge transfer (CT) complexes with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE). This enhancement occurs because CT complex formation creates a new resonance in the transmission function, close to the metal contact Fermi energy, that is a signal of room-temperature quantum interference.The solid-state structures of organic charge transfer (CT) salts are critical in determining their mode of charge transport, and hence their unusual electrical properties, which range from semiconducting through metallic to superconducting. In contrast, using both theory and experiment, we show here that the conductance of metal |single molecule| metal junctions involving aromatic donor moieties (dialkylterthiophene, dialkylbenzene) increase by over an order of magnitude upon formation of charge transfer (CT) complexes with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE). This enhancement occurs because CT complex formation creates a new resonance in the transmission function, close to the metal contact Fermi energy, that is a signal of room-temperature quantum interference. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis of 1c; experimental details of conductance measurements, formation of charge transfer complexes of 1c and 2 in solution; further details of theoretical methods. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr04420k

Analysis by using Fluent® has been carried out to investigate the pressure drop and heat transfer of single phase flow (Reynolds number ranging from 2.0×104 - 1.4×105) in a 2 meter long of rifled tube and smooth tube which are heated at the outer wall at constant temperature. The rifled tube or also known as spiral internally ribbed tube which is used in this investigation has an outside diameter 45.0 mm and inside equivalent diameter of 33.1 mm while the smooth tube has an outside diameter 45.0 mm and inside diameter 34.1 mm. The working fluid that is used in this investigation is water. In this analysis, realizable k-epsilon model has been chosen to solve the fully developed turbulence flow in both the tubes. The result from simulation shows that the pressure drop in rifled tube is about 1.69-2.0 times higher than in the smooth tube while the heat transfer coefficient of water in the rifle tube is 0.97-1.27 times than in the smooth tube. The high pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient in rifled tube comparing to smooth tube is due to the helical rib in the rifled tube which not only acted as rough surface, but also causes swirling effect near the wall which enhance heat transfer. The present study has proved that although the rifled tube produces high pressure drop but it is good in heat transfer enhancement through the ratio of heat flux to the pumping power. Correlations have been proposed for the single phase friction factor and Nusselt number of the rifled tube.

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy techniques can be used in combination with micrometer length-scale temperature control and FÃ¶rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in order to gain detailed information about fundamental biophysical phenomena. In particular, this combination of techniques has helped foster the development of remarkable quantitative tools for studying both time- and temperature-dependent structural kinetics of biopolymers. Over the past decade, multiple research efforts have successfully incorporated precise spatial and temporal control of temperature into single-molecule FRET (smFRET)-based experiments, which have uncovered critical thermodynamic information on a wide range of biological systems such as conformational dynamics of nucleic acids. This review provides an overview of various temperature-dependent smFRET approaches from our laboratory and others, highlighting efforts in which such methods have been successfully applied to studies of single-molecule nucleic acid folding.

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy techniques can be used in combination with micrometer length-scale temperature control and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in order to gain detailed information about fundamental biophysical phenomena. In particular, this combination of techniques has helped foster the development of remarkable quantitative tools for studying both time- and temperature-dependent structural kinetics of biopolymers. Over the past decade, multiple research efforts have successfully incorporated precise spatial and temporal control of temperature into single-molecule FRET (smFRET)-based experiments, which have uncovered critical thermodynamic information on a wide range of biological systems such as conformational dynamics of nucleic acids. This review provides an overview of various temperature-dependent smFRET approaches from our laboratory and others, highlighting efforts in which such methods have been successfully applied to studies of single-molecule nucleic acid folding. PMID:27215819

Between days 8 and 11 of pregnancy spherical blastocysts from 0.3 to 10 mm in diameter were flushed from the uterine horns of Dutch Landrace pigs. A description of their ultrastructure is given, and the uptake of horseradish peroxidase and ferritin is demonstrated. The ultrastructure of the trophoblast was similar at all ages studied. The trophoblast which has many apical microvilli is able to take up and digest the macromolecules which were offered in the in vitro incubation medium. The hypoblast consists of flattened cells. In blastocysts 2 mm and larger, compact cells bearing microvilli are found below the embryoblast. Cell organelles indicating protein synthesis are found within hypoblast cells of such blastocysts. In the embryoblast, local concentrations of cell organelles are visible, indicating that differentiation has started. After the disappearance of Rauber's layer, which takes place when the blastocyst reaches a diameter of about 2 mm, superficial embryoblast cells develop short microvilli. The cells do not absorb ferritin or peroxidase but are dependent on the trophoblast for their food requirements. All cell layers in the blastocyst contain mitochondria that have characteristics of those found in steroid-producing cells. The significance of the uptake and digestion of macromolecules by trophoblast cells, the synthesis of protein by hypoblast cells and the possible synthesis of steroids is discussed with respect to the relationship between the cell layers of the blastocyst and in the context of concepto-maternal relationships. PMID:6705037

Photoinduced charge-transfer fluorescence quenching of a fluorescent dye produces the nonemissive charge-separated state, and subsequent charge recombination makes the reaction reversible. While the information available from the photoinduced charge-transfer process provides the basis for monitoring the microenvironment around the fluorescent dyes and such monitoring is particularly important in live-cell imaging and DNA diagnosis, the information obtainable from the charge recombination process is usually overlooked. When looking at fluorescence emitted from each single fluorescent dye, photoinduced charge-transfer, charge-migration, and charge recombination cause a "blinking" of the fluorescence, in which the charge-recombination rate or the lifetime of the charge-separated state (τ) is supposed to be reflected in the duration of the off time during the single-molecule-level fluorescence measurement. Herein, based on our recently developed method for the direct observation of charge migration in DNA, we utilized DNA as a platform for spectroscopic investigations of charge-recombination dynamics for several fluorescent dyes: TAMRA, ATTO 655, and Alexa 532, which are used in single-molecule fluorescence measurements. Charge recombination dynamics were observed by transient absorption measurements, demonstrating that these fluorescent dyes can be used to monitor the charge-separation and charge-recombination events. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) of ATTO 655 modified DNA allowed the successful measurement of the charge-recombination dynamics in DNA at the single-molecule level. Utilizing the injected charge just like a pulse of sound, such as a "ping" in active sonar systems, information about the DNA sequence surrounding the fluorescent dye was read out by measuring the time it takes for the charge to return. PMID:21875061

Longitudinal vortices were artificially generated by a single winglet vortex generator in a pipe. The purpose of this study is to analyze the motion of longitudinal vortices and their effects on heat transfer enhancement. The flow pattern was visualized by means of both fluorescein and rhodamine B as traces in a water flow. The main vortex was moved spirally along the circumference and the behavior of the other vortices was observed. Streamwise and circumferential heat transfer coefficients on the wall, wall static pressure, and velocity distribution in an overall cross section were also measured for the air flow in a range of Reynolds numbers from 18,800 to 62,400. The distributions of the streamwise heat transfer coefficient had a periodic pattern, and the peaks in the distribution were circumferentially moved due to the spiral motion of the main vortex. Lastly, the relationships between the iso-velocity distribution, wall static pressure, and heat transfer characteristics was shown. In the process of forming the vortex behind the winglet vortex generator, behaviors of both the main vortex and the corner vortex were observed as streak lines. The vortex being raised along the end of the winglet, and the vortex ring being rolled up to the main vortex were newly observed. Both patterns of the streamwise velocity on a cross-section and the static pressure on the wall show good correspondences to phenomena of the main vortex spirally flowing downstream. The increased ratio of the heat transfer is similar to that of the friction factor based on the shear stress on the wall surface of the pipe. The quantitative analogy between the heat transfer and the shear stress is confirmed except for some regions, where the effects of the down-wash or blow-away of the secondary flows is caused due to the main vortex.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the developmental kinetics of cats' blastocysts in connection with their morphology and blastomeres allocation to trophoblast or embryoblast cells. We examined gross blastocyst morphology and the total number of blastomeres together with its allocation to inner cell mass (ICM) or trophectoderm (TE) cells in pre-implantation feline embryos obtained from 6th to 9th day of in vitro culture. From all the investigated embryos, 61.8% developed to early blastocyst, 37.4% to full and 7.6% to hatching blastocyst stage. The total cell number (TCN) varied form 58 cells in early day 6 to 245 in hatching day 8 blastocyst, with the mean 84.9 cells in early, 156.7 in full, and 204.4 in hatching ones. Day 8 blastocyst had the highest number of total cells, together with the highest mean number of ICM regardless of its morphological assessment. Early blastocyst (apart from day 6) had the highest number of arrested cells, while dead cells were the highest in full day 9 blastocyst. More data about the relationship between blastocyst development and morphology would facilitate the selection of optimal blastocysts for further procedures. PMID:26991408

The time scales for interfacial charge separation and recombination play crucial roles in determining efficiencies of excitonic photovoltaics. Near-infrared photons are harvested efficiently by semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) paired with appropriate electron acceptors, such as fullerenes (e.g., C60). However, little is known about crucial photochemical events that occur on femtosecond to nanosecond time scales at such heterojunctions. Here, we present transient absorbance measurements that utilize a distinct spectroscopic signature of charges within SWCNTs, the absorbance of a trion quasiparticle, to measure both the ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer time (τpet) and yield (ϕpet) in photoexcited SWCNT–C60 bilayer films. The rise time of the trion-induced absorbance enables the determination of the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) time of τpet ≤ 120 fs, while an experimentally determined trion absorbance cross section reveals the yield of charge transfer (ϕpet ≈ 38 ± 3%). The extremely fast electron transfer times observed here are on par with some of the best donor:acceptor pairs in excitonic photovoltaics and underscore the potential for efficient energy harvesting in SWCNT-based devices. PMID:25019648

Heat transfer and fluid flow in a single-rib mounting channel were investigated by directly solving Navier-Stokes and energy equations. Flow and thermal fields were considered to be fully developed at the inlet of the channel, and the simulation was made for spatial advancement of turbulent heat transfer. Keeping the frictional Reynolds number, Reτ0, at 150, the rib height ratio was changed in four steps from H/δ = 0.05 to H/δ = 0.4. Computational results were confirmed to be nearly independent of grid meshes. In addition, numerical accuracy was confirmed through close agreement between computed mean pressure and the experiment by Yao et al. (1995). The numerical results revealed that the highest value of the mean Nusslet number was as large as 1.3 times the smooth surface consuming the same pumping power, and the local enhancement of heat transfer was correlated with the turbulence increase near the rib front and the reattachment point. According to the Reynolds stress budgets for H/δ = 0.2, there were mechanisms to induce powerful fluctuations: (1) Streamwise fluctuation was increased through production by flow deceleration in the upstream of the rib; (2) Redistribution to wall-normal and spanwise fluctuations was fortified by the fluid splattering to the rib front. Therefore, excellent performance of heat transfer was concluded to occur due to flow structures, which induce the strong disturbance near the rib front triggering smooth transition of the separated shear layer.

Long-distance quantum communication requires photons and quantum nodes that comprise qubits for interaction with light and good memory capabilities, as well as processing qubits for the storage and manipulation of photons. Owing to the unavoidable photon losses, robust quantum communication over lossy transmission channels requires quantum repeater networks. A necessary and highly demanding prerequisite for these networks is the existence of quantum memories with long coherence times to reliably store the incident photon states. Here we demonstrate the high-fidelity (∼98%) coherent transfer of a photon polarization state to a single solid-state nuclear spin that has a coherence time of over 10 s. The storage process is achieved by coherently transferring the polarization state of a photon to an entangled electron–nuclear spin state of a nitrogen–vacancy centre in diamond. The nuclear spin-based optical quantum memory demonstrated here paves the way towards an absorption-based quantum repeater network.

Charge transfer (CT) transitions and UV induced color centers in Yb:YAG single crystals have been investigated. A simultaneous pair formation of a stable Yb2+ ion and a hole related (O-) color center (hole polaron) are observed through a CT-process. Slightly different types of hole related color centers are formed in Yb:YAG crystals containing small levels of iron impurities. Furthermore, excitation spectroscopy on the UV irradiated Yb:YAG samples could confirm an energy transfer process between Yb3+ and Yb2+ ions. The findings are important for an increased knowledge of the physical loss mechanisms observed in Yb-doped laser materials, such as the nonlinear decay process in Yb:YAG crystals as well as the photodarkening phenomenon in Yb-doped fiber lasers.

Equine intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is being used clinically for foal production, but little information is available on factors affecting the efficiency of this procedure. We examined factors that may influence blastocyst development when ICSI is performed clinically, i.e., on oocytes recovered from live mares by transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration (TVA), using sperm from the stallion of the client's choice. In a clinical setting, there may be a delay from the time of TVA to isolation of oocytes from the aspirated fluid. In a preliminary study, oocytes from fluid held for 1.5 h at ambient temperature (26°C-33°C) yielded 32% blastocysts; however, in experiment 1, fluid held at 32 °C for 2 h after aspiration yielded 16% blastocysts versus 23% for aspirates processed immediately. Performing TVA/ICSI throughout the year would increase production from valuable mares, but efficiency during the nonbreeding season is unknown. In addition, to reduce the possibility of infection after TVA, administration of antibiotics to the mare before TVA is indicated; however, these could affect oocyte quality. In experiment 2, follicle numbers at the time of TVA were significantly higher in December to January than for the same mares during the breeding season. Oocyte recovery rates on TVA were 60% to 66% and the blastocyst rate was 18%. An equivalent blastocyst rate (18%) was achieved after administration of ampicillin and gentamicin to mares before TVA. In experiment 3, we verified that stallion differences exist in rates of cleavage after ICSI with motile sperm. In sperm from a low-performing stallion, density-gradient centrifugation followed by swim-up was associated with significantly higher rates of cleavage (45% vs. 18%) and blastocyst development (14% vs. 0%) than those for density gradient alone. In experiment 4, parthenogenetic activation with ionomycin and 6-dimethylaminopurine yielded 40% blastocysts. Frozen-thawed sperm that were immotile

Photoinduced interfacial electron transfer (IET) in sulforhodamine B (SRhB)-aminosilane-Tin oxide (SnO(2)) nanoparticle donor-bridge-acceptor complexes has been studied on a single molecule and ensemble average level. On both SnO(2) and ZrO(2), the sum of single molecule fluorescence decays agree with the ensemble average results, suggesting complete sampling of molecules under single molecule conditions. Shorter fluorescence lifetime on SnO(2) than on ZrO(2) is observed and attributed to IET from SRhB to SnO(2). Single molecule lifetimes fluctuate with time and vary among different molecules, suggesting both static and dynamic IET heterogeneity in this system. Computational modeling of the complexes shows a distribution of molecular conformation, leading to a distribution of electronic coupling strengths and ET rates. It is likely that the conversion between these conformations led to the fluctuation of ET rate and fluorescence lifetime on the single molecule level. PMID:20225886

It is important to understand the electronic interaction between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and graphene in order to use them efficiently in multifunctional hybrid devices. Here, we deposited SWNT bundles on graphene-covered copper and SiO{sub 2} substrates by chemical vapor deposition and investigated the charge transfer between them by Raman spectroscopy. Our results revealed that, on both copper and SiO{sub 2} substrates, graphene donates electrons to the SWNTs, resulting in p-type doped graphene and n-type doped SWNTs.

The study reported here is one of several efforts to evaluate and qualify the COBRA-SFS computer code for use in spent fuel storage system thermal analysis. The ability of COBRA-SFS to predict the thermal response of two single assembly spent fuel heat transfer tests was investigated through comparisons of predictions with experimental test data. From these comparisons, conclusions regarding the computational treatment of the physical phenomena occurring within a storage system can be made. This objective was successfully accomplished as reasonable agreement between predictions and data were obtained for the 21 individual test cases of the two experiments.

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism responsible for gene regulation, chromatin remodeling, and genome stability, playing a fundamental role during embryonic development. The aim of this study was to determine if these epigenetic marks are associated with chromosomal aneuploidy in human blastocysts. Surplus, cryopreserved blastocysts that were donated to research with IRB consent were chosen with varying chromosomal aneuploidies and respective implantation potential: monosomies and trisomies 7, 11, 15, 21, and 22. DNA methylation analysis was performed using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (~485,000 CpG sites). The methylation profiles of these human blastocysts were found to be similar across all samples, independent of chromosome constitution; however, more detailed examination identified significant hypomethylation in the chromosome involved in the monosomy. Real-time PCR was also performed to determine if downstream messenger RNA (mRNA) was affected for genes on the monosomy chromosome. Gene dysregulation was observed for monosomy blastocysts within significant regions of hypo-methylation (AVEN, CYFIP1, FAM189A1, MYO9A, ADM2, PACSIN2, PARVB, and PIWIL3) (P < 0.05). Additional analysis was performed to examine the gene expression profiles of associated methylation regulators including: DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, DNMT3L), chromatin modifying regulators (CSNK1E, KDM1, PRKCA), and a post-translational modifier (PRMT5). Decreased RNA transcription was confirmed for each DNMT, and the regulators that impact DNMT activity, for only monosomy blastocysts (P < 0.05). In summary, monosomy blastocysts displayed hypomethylation for the chromosome involved in the error, as well as transcription alterations of associated developmental genes. Together, these modifications may be contributing to genetic instability and therefore be responsible for the limited implantation potential observed for full monosomy blastocysts. PMID

Blastocyst production in vitro seems to be crucial part of assisted reproduction techniques in feline species. However, the results of cats' oocyte maturation and embryo development are still lower than those in other species. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the supplementation with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and taurine during maturation or culture would improve the blastocyst yield obtained from lower grades of oocytes, that are usually discarded, as not suitable for further in vitro purposes. To investigate the effect of antioxidants' addition, the good- and poor-quality oocytes, were cultured with the addition of 10-mmol taurine and 600 UI/mL SOD. The nuclear maturity, embryo development, and blastocyst quality were subsequently assessed. In control group, without antioxidant supplementation, significantly less poor-quality oocytes matured (42% vs. 62%) and more degenerated (35% vs. 20%), comparing to the experimental group supplemented with SOD and taurine. The amount of obtained blastocyst was much higher, when poor quality oocytes were supplemented with SOD and taurine (supplementation to IVM-4%; supplementation to IVC-5.5%; supplementation to IVM and IVC-5.9% of blastocyst), comparing to not supplemented control group (1.3%). The best blastocysts were obtained when poor oocytes had antioxidants added only during embryo culture (185 ± 13.4 blastomeres vs. 100 ± 1.5 in control). In the present study, we reported that the lower grades of oocytes can better mature and form significantly more blastocysts with better quality, when cultured with addition of SOD and taurine. PMID:26643604

A novel oxidative N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed reaction pathway has been discovered. Alkyl and aryl enals undergo β-hydroxylation via oxygen atom transfer from electron-deficient nitrobenzenes, followed by trapping of the resultant acyl azolium by the solvent. The proposed mechanism involves a single electron transfer event to initiate the reaction followed by radical recombination. This represents a profound mechanistic departure from the established two-electron disconnects in NHC catalysis. PMID:25302860

Single-embryo transfer (SET) and more specifically elective SET (eSET) have taken their place in good clinical IVF/ICSI practice. After the initial cautious search for the characteristics of the twin-prone patient and of the selection of the embryo with the highest implantation potential many centres have embarked on the (progressive) implementation of SET, either by conviction or forced by legislation or both. It was only because the ongoing pregnancy rates remained largely unaffected that SET was accepted. Generally speaking, it can be said that the twinning rate after IVF/ICSI has dropped by at least 50% simply by transferring only one good-quality embryo in the first and second fresh IVF/ICSI cycles in young women, without decrease in the overall pregnancy rate. Preventing 'the second half' of IVF/ICSI twins constitutes another and probably tougher challenge because the target group is a heterogeneous mix consisting of patients in very different clinical situations. Can we expand our experience for further twin prevention to women of older age and to cycles of higher rank without a significant drop in pregnancy rates? Can we extend it to more cryopreservation cycles? To have an idea of future target groups for increased application of SET, we analysed the remaining twins after double-embryo transfer (DET), and from these data we suggest expanding the eSET policy to women <38 years of age until the third cycle and to cryopreservation cycles. PMID:16410338

Variations of photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra of single-layer MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 due to the vacuum deposition of C60 or copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) molecules have been investigated. PL spectra are decomposed into two competitive components, an exciton and a charged exciton (trion), depending on carrier density. The variation of PL spectra is interpreted in terms of charge transfer across the interfaces between transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and dopant molecules. We find that deposited C60 molecules inject photoexcited electrons into MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2 or holes into WSe2. CuPc molecules also inject electrons into MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2, while holes are depleted from WSe2 to CuPc. We then propose a band alignment between TMDs and dopant molecules. Peak shifts of Raman spectra and doped carrier density estimated using a three-level model also support the band alignment. We thus demonstrate photoinduced charge transfer from dopant molecules to single-layer TMDs.

Improved technology for the efficient transfer of cryogens is needed for future on-orbit fueling and remote Lunar/Mars operations. The cooling and filling of a liquid nitrogen (LN2) test vessel through a single port were investigated in a series of experiments. A new 'in-space' transfer tube design concept was used to demonstrate the ability to quickly cool and load cryogens through a single feed-through connection. Three different fill tube configurations with three different diameters were tested. The tubes providing the quickest cooldown time and the quickest fill time for the test article tank were determined. The results demonstrated a clear trade-off between cooling time and filling time for the optimum tube design. This experimental study is intended to improve technology for future flight tank designs by reducing fill system size, complexity, heat leak rate, and operations time. These results may be applied to Space Shuttle Power Reactant Storage and Distribution (PRSD) System upgrades and other future applications. Further study and experimental analysis for optimization of the fill tube design are in progress.

Nanofluids have been investigated regarding their advantages and potentialities for the purpose of increasing convective heat transfer rates inside thermal systems where they are used as working fluids. Researchers in thermophysics have investigated these fluids experimentally and numerically. This review provides extensive theoretical information concerning nanofluids in the single-phase and two-phase treatments. Important published works on nanofluid properties and correlations are summarized and reviewed in detail. Heat transfer enhancement by nanofluids is a challenging problem due to the difficulties inherent in the model of the physical mechanism of interaction between the paricles. Here the interaction between the phases is modeled by several two-phase models, and the results are given in graphical and tabular forms. Despite the advantages of the mixture model, such as imlementation of physical properties and less computational power requirements, some studies showed that the results of the single-phase and two-phase models are very similar. The main difference consists in the effect of the drift velocities of the phases relative to each other.

Nanofluids have been investigated regarding their advantages and potentialities for the purpose of increasing convective heat transfer rates inside thermal systems where they are used as working fluids. Researchers in thermophysics have investigated these fluids experimentally and numerically. This review provides extensive theoretical information concerning nanofluids in the single-phase and two-phase treatments. Important published works on nanofluid properties and correlations are summarized and reviewed in detail. Heat transfer enhancement by nanofluids is a challenging problem due to the difficulties inherent in the model of the physical mechanism of interaction between the paricles. Here the interaction between the phases is modeled by several two-phase models, and the results are given in graphical and tabular forms. Despite the advantages of the mixture model, such as imlementation of physical properties and less computational power requirements, some studies showed that the results of the single-phase and two-phase models are very similar. The main difference consists in the effect of the drift velocities of the phases relative to each other.

The optimization of single-embryo culture conditions is very important, particularly in the in vitro production of bovine embryos using the ovum pick-up (OPU) procedure. The purpose of this study was to examine the development of embryos derived from oocytes obtained by OPU that were cultured either individually or in groups in medium supplemented with or without sericin and to investigate the viability of the frozen-thawed embryos after a direct transfer. When two-cell-stage embryos were cultured either individually or in groups for 7 days in CR1aa medium supplemented with or without 0.5% sericin, the rates of development to blastocysts and freezable blastocysts were significantly lower for the embryos cultured individually without sericin than for the embryos cultured in groups with or without sericin. Moreover, the rate of development to freezable blastocysts of the embryos cultured individually with sericin was significantly higher than that of the embryos cultured without sericin. When the frozen-thawed embryos were transferred directly to recipients, the rates of pregnancy, abortion, stillbirth and normal calving in the recipients were similar among the groups, irrespective of the culture conditions and sericin supplementation. Our findings indicate that supplementation with sericin during embryo culture improves the quality of the embryos cultured individually but not the viability of the frozen-thawed embryos after transfer to recipients. PMID:25488699

The descriptions and results of two separate heat transfer tests designed to investigate the dry storage of commercial PWR spent fuel assemblies are presented. Presented first are descriptions and selected results from the Fuel Temperature Test performed at the Engine Maintenance and Disassembly facility on the Nevada Test Site. An actual spent fuel assembly from the Turkey Point Unit Number 3 Reactor with a decay heat level of 1.17 KW, was installed vertically in a test stand mounted canister/liner assembly. The boundary temperatures were controlled and the canister backfill gases were alternated between air, helium and vacuum to investigate the primary heat transfer mechanisms of convection, conduction and radiation. The assembly temperature profiles were experimentally measured using installed thermocouple instrumentation. Also presented are the results from the Single Assembly Heat Transfer Test designed and fabricated by Allied General Nuclear Services, under contract to the Department of Energy, and ultimately conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. For this test, an electrically heated 15 x 15 rod assembly was used to model a single PWR spent fuel assembly. The electrically heated model fuel assembly permitted various ''decay heat'', levels to be tested; 1.0 KW and 0.5 KW were used for these tests. The model fuel assembly was positioned within a prototypic fuel tube and in turn placed within a double-walled sealed cask. The complete test assembly could be positioned at any desired orientation (horizontal, vertical, and 25/sup 0/ from horizontal for the present work) and backfilled as desired (air, helium, or vacuum). Tests were run for all combinations of ''decay heat,'' backfill, and orientation. Boundary conditions were imposed by temperature controlled guard heaters installed on the cask exterior surface.

Background The Rapid-i is a new FDA cleared closed carrier for embryo vitrification. The cooling rate of - 1220°C/min is far lower than that reported with open vitrification systems such as the cryoloop (−15,000°C/min). Little published data is currently available on this device. This study presents our initial clinical data, as well as live birth outcomes, with the Rapid-i. The efficacy of this device for the cryopreservation of cleavage, as well as blastocyst stage human embryos is also analyzed. We further compare outcomes to those achieved with the cryoloop, an “open” vitrification system routinely used in our laboratory. Methods Human embryos were vitrified at either the 8–10 cell stage or else the blastocyst stage. The vitrification protocol was: 7.5% DMSO/7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) (2–3 min) followed by incubation in 15% DMSO /15% EG (45 sec) before loading on the vitrification carrier. Cryoprotectant was removed during warming by sequential washes in 0.25 M and 0.125 M sucrose in culture medium. Clinical outcome data for frozen cycles between January 2011 and August 2012 were stratified according to carrier and cell stage. The student t-test and chi square test were used to compare results. P value of transferred. The clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and implantation rate (IR) with Rapid-i vitrified blastocysts were 59% and 49%, versus 47% and 37%, respectively for cleavage stage embryos. This was not statistically different from results with the cryoloop vitrified blastocysts (CPR 46%, IR 38%) nor the cleavage stage vitrified embryos (CPR 49%, IR 35%). To date, there have been 31 deliveries of 34 healthy infants from Rapid-i vitrified embryos, with another 12 pregnancies still on-going. Conclusions The Rapid-i offers an excellent alternative to existing open vitrification devices for embryo cryopreservation at the 8–10 cell

During blastocyst formation the segregation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm is governed by the mutually antagonistic effects of the transcription factors Oct4 and Cdx2. Evidence indicates that suppression of Oct4 expression in the trophectoderm is mediated by Cdx2. Nonetheless, the underlying epigenetic modifiers required for Cdx2-dependent repression of Oct4 are largely unknown. Here we show that the chromatin remodeling protein Brg1 is required for Cdx2-mediated repression of Oct4 expression in mouse blastocysts. By employing a combination of RNA interference (RNAi) and gene expression analysis we found that both Brg1 Knockdown (KD) and Cdx2 KD blastocysts exhibit widespread expression of Oct4 in the trophectoderm. Interestingly, in Brg1 KD blastocysts and Cdx2 KD blastocysts, the expression of Cdx2 and Brg1 is unchanged, respectively. To address whether Brg1 cooperates with Cdx2 to repress Oct4 transcription in the developing trophectoderm, we utilized preimplantation embryos, trophoblast stem (TS) cells and Cdx2-inducible embryonic stem (ES) cells as model systems. We found that: (1) combined knockdown (KD) of Brg1 and Cdx2 levels in blastocysts resulted in increased levels of Oct4 transcripts compared to KD of Brg1 or Cdx2 alone, (2) endogenous Brg1 co-immunoprecipitated with Cdx2 in TS cell extracts, (3) in blastocysts Brg1 and Cdx2 co-localize in trophectoderm nuclei and (4) in Cdx2-induced ES cells Brg1 and Cdx2 are recruited to the Oct4 promoter. Lastly, to determine how Brg1 may induce epigenetic silencing of the Oct4 gene, we evaluated CpG methylation at the Oct4 promoter in the trophectoderm of Brg1 KD blastocysts. This analysis revealed that Brg1-dependent repression of Oct4 expression is independent of DNA methylation at the blastocyst stage. In toto, these results demonstrate that Brg1 cooperates with Cdx2 to repress Oct4 expression in the developing trophectoderm to ensure normal development. PMID:20485553

This study was aimed at assessing the capability of semen experimentally infected with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) to produce porcine blastocysts PCR positive for PCV2. Embryos were obtained from in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) of porcine oocytes or by parthenogenesis. Sperm suspension was exposed to PCV2b and utilized for IVF. PCV2 spiked semen did not reveal any reduction in sperm viability or motility but its ability to produce infected blastocysts was irrelevant as only one out of 15 blastocysts obtained by IVF were PCV2b; however two blastocysts were PCV2a positive. Furthermore, the presence of PCV2 was demonstrated also in embryos obtained by parthenogenesis (one out of 17 was PCV2b and one PCV2a positive). Even if PCV2 firmly attaches to the surface of spermatozoa, experimentally spiked sperm were not effective in infecting oocytes during IVF and in producing PCR positive embryos. The infected blastocysts we obtained derived most probably from infected oocytes recovered at the abattoir. PMID:26434667

Purpose We attempted clinical application of a plastic blade, which is a novel cryopreservation device, for vitrification of human embryos and blastocysts. Methods Between February 2003 and December 2007, a total of 4,430 Day 3 embryos from 898 patients (Day 3 group) and 55 blastocysts from 29 patients (blastocyst group) were vitrified and cryopreserved with a plastic device, and subsequently thawed for embryo transfer. Clinical outcomes after thawing and transfer of vitrified embryos and blastocysts were evaluated. Results In the Day 3 group, all embryos resulting from 1,441 oocyte retrieval cycles were recovered, and the thawed embryo survival rate was 98.4%. In the blastocyst group, the survival rate after thawing was 100%. A total of 3,026 day 3 embryos and 46 blastocysts were transferred. The pregnancy and implantation rates in the Day 3 group were 25.0% and 15.5%, respectively, and in the blastocyst group the rates were 24.2% and 26.1%, respectively. The miscarriage rates in the Day 3 and blastocyst groups were 18.3% and 50.0%, respectively. Conclusions A plastic blade is a useful novel device in cryopreservation of vitrified human embryos. PMID:20127161

Photoinduced hole transfer is investigated in inorganic/organic hybrid nanocomposites of colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and a cationic conjugated polymer, poly(9,9'-bis(6-N,N,N-trimethylammoniumhexyl)fluorene-alt-phenylene, in solution and in solid thin film, and down to the single hybrid level and is assessed to be a dynamic quenching process. We demonstrate control of hole transfer rate in these quantum dot/conjugated polymer hybrids by using a series of core/shell quantum dots with varying shell thickness, for which a clear exponential dependency of the hole transfer rate vs shell thickness is observed, for both solution and thin-film situations. Furthermore, we observe an increase of hole-transfer rate from solution to film and correlate this with changes in quantum dot/polymer interfacial morphology affecting the hole transfer rate, namely, the donor-acceptor distance. Single particle spectroscopy experiments reveal fluctuating dynamics of hole transfer at the single conjugated polymer/quantum dot interface and an increased heterogeneity in the hole-transfer rate with the increase of the quantum dot's shell thickness. Although hole transfer quenches the photoluminescence intensity of quantum dots, it causes little or no effect on their blinking behavior over the time scales probed here. PMID:22686521

Single seed near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy predicts soybean (Glycine max) seed quality traits of moisture, oil, and protein. We tested the accuracy of transferring calibrations between different single seed NIR analyzers of the same design by collecting NIR spectra and analytical trait...

The development of high-speed ink printing process by Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) is of great interest for the printing community. To address the problems and the limitations of this process that have been previously identified, we have performed an experimental study on laser micro-printing of silver nanoparticle inks by LIFT and demonstrated for the first time the printing of continuous conductive lines in a single pass at velocities of 17 m/s using a 1 MHz repetition rate laser. We investigated the printing process by means of a time-resolved imaging technique to visualize the ejection dynamics of single and adjacent jets. The control of the donor film properties is of prime importance to achieve single step printing of continuous lines at high velocities. We use a 30 ps pulse duration laser with a wavelength of 343 nm and a repetition rate from 0.2 to 1 MHz. A galvanometric mirror head controls the distance between two consecutives jets by scanning the focused beam along an ink-coated donor substrate at different velocities. Droplets and lines of silver inks are laser-printed on glass and PET flexible substrates and we characterized their morphological quality by atomic force microscope (AFM) and optical microscope.

A major fraction of Earth's prokaryotic biomass dwells in the deep subsurface, where cellular abundances per volume of sample are lower, metabolism is slower, and generation times are longer than those in surface terrestrial and marine environments. How these conditions impact biotic interactions and evolutionary processes is largely unknown. Here we employed single cell genomics to analyze cell-to-cell genome content variability and signatures of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and viral infections in five cells of Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator, which were collected from a 3 km-deep fracture water in the 2.9 Ga-old Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa. Between 0 and 32% of genes recovered from single cells were not present in the original, metagenomic assembly of Desulforudis, which was obtained from a neighboring subsurface fracture. We found a transposable prophage, a retron, multiple clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and restriction-modification systems, and an unusually high frequency of transposases in the analyzed single cell genomes. This indicates that recombination, HGT and viral infections are prevalent evolutionary events in the studied population of microorganisms inhabiting a highly stable deep subsurface environment. PMID:25954269

A novel radiative transfer model for a scattering layer in a plane-parallel thermally emitting atmosphere is described. The model is designed for computing radiances in iterative remote-sensing methods where computational efficiency is of utmost importance. The model combines a single-scatter method with the standard Eddington's second approximation technique, which is required for higher-order scattering. The single-scattering model uses tabulated scattering properties. The accuracy of the hybrid model, relative to an exact doubling-adding model, is compared with three other approximate methods (nonscattering, single-scattering, and Eddington). Brightness temperature errors for simulated ice and water clouds are shown for various particle size distributions in both microwave (1-50 cm-1) and infrared (300-3000 cm-1) parts of the spectrum. As indicated by a root-mean-square measure of brightness temperature error over outgoing directions, the hybrid model is a significant improvement over the standard Eddington model in the regions of the infrared where scattering is important. Computer source code (written in FORTRAN) for implementing the hybrid scattering model is available from the authors.

A major fraction of Earth's prokaryotic biomass dwells in the deep subsurface, where cellular abundances per volume of sample are lower, metabolism is slower, and generation times are longer than those in surface terrestrial and marine environments. How these conditions impact biotic interactions and evolutionary processes is largely unknown. Here we employed single cell genomics to analyze cell-to-cell genome content variability and signatures of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and viral infections in five cells of Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator, which were collected from a 3 km-deep fracture water in the 2.9 Ga-old Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa. Between 0 and 32% of genes recovered from single cells were not present in the original, metagenomic assembly of Desulforudis, which was obtained from a neighboring subsurface fracture. We found a transposable prophage, a retron, multiple clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and restriction-modification systems, and an unusually high frequency of transposases in the analyzed single cell genomes. This indicates that recombination, HGT and viral infections are prevalent evolutionary events in the studied population of microorganisms inhabiting a highly stable deep subsurface environment. PMID:25954269

The mammalian blastocyst exhibits a high capacity for aerobic glycolysis, a metabolic characteristic of tumours. It has been considered that aerobic glycolysis is a means to ensure a high carbon flux to fulfil biosynthetic demands. Here, alternative explanations for this pattern of metabolism are considered. Lactate creates a microenvironment of low pH around the embryo to assist the disaggregation of uterine tissues to facilitate trophoblast invasion. Further it is proposed that lactate acts as a signalling molecule (especially at the reduced oxygen tension present at implantation) to elicit bioactive VEGF recruitment from uterine cells, to promote angiogenesis. Finally it is suggested that the region of high lactate/low pH created by the blastocyst modulates the activity of the local immune response, helping to create immune tolerance. Consequently, the mammalian blastocyst offers a model to study the role of microenvironments, and how metabolites and pH are used in signalling. PMID:25619853

The effects of a range of commercially available proteases and glycosidases on blastocyst development and hatching were examined on rabbit embryos cultured from the morula stage in a defined medium supplemented with charcoal-treated bovine serum albumin. The proteases tested were trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, thrombin, elastase, plasmin, papain, clostripain, collagenase, Streptomyces griseus protease and cathepsin C. The glycosidases tested were neuraminidase, alpha-mannosidase, beta-galactosidase and hyaluronidase. None of these enzymes appeared to stimulate blastocyst growth. The only enzymes which digested the embryonic investments, the zona and mucin coat, sufficiently to cause complete blastocyst hatching were trypsin and Streptomyces griseus protease at relatively low concentrations (250 ng/ml) and chymotrypsin and elastase at higher concentrations. PMID:3531506

The effect of different concentrations (0, 0.6, 3, 15, 75 and 375 microM) of myo-inositol on the development of rabbit morulae to expanded blastocysts was investigated in terms of blastocyst expansion and synthesis of DNA and protein, as measured by incorporation of [3H]thymidine and [14C]amino acids into acid-precipitable material. A concentration of 15 microM inositol caused a 2.8-fold increase in blastocyst expansion (P less than 0.01), a 9.9-fold increase in thymidine incorporation into DNA (P less than 0.01) and a 3.6-fold increase in amino acid incorporation into protein (P less than 0.01). There were no significant differences in the range from 15 to 375 microM inositol. PMID:1522201

This paper describes an experimental program to determine the heat-transfer characteristics of a combustor and heat-exchanger system in a hybrid solar receiver which utilizes a Stirling engine. The system consists of a swirl combustor with a crossflow heat exchanger composed of a single row of 48 closely spaced curved tubes. In the present study, heat-transfer characteristics of the combustor/heat-exchanger system without a Stirling engine have been studied over a range of operating conditions and output levels using water as the working fluid. Nondimensional heat-transfer coefficients based on total heat transfer have been obtained and are compared with available literature data. The results show significantly enhanced heat transfer for the present geometry and test conditions. Also, heat transfer along the length of the tubes is found to vary, the effect depending upon test condition.

Numerical studies of hole migration along short DNA hairpins were performed with a particular emphasis on the variations of the rate and quantum yield of the charge separation process with the location of a single guanine:cytosine (G:C) base pair. Our calculations show that the hole arrival rate increases as the position of the guanine:cytosine base pair shifts from the beginning to the end of the sequence. Although these results are in agreement with recent experimental findings, the mechanism governing the charge migration along these sequences is revisited here. Instead of the phenomenological two-step hopping mechanism via the guanine base, the charge propagation occurs through a delocalization of the hole density along the base pair stack. Furthermore, the variations of the charge transfer with the position of the guanine base are explained by the impact of the base pair substitutions on the delocalized conduction channels. PMID:23980166

The unique physical and chemical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) make them ideal building blocks for the construction of hybrid nanostructures. In addition to increasing the material complexity and functionality, SWNTs can probe the interfacial processes in the hybrid system. In this work, SWNT-TiO2 core/shell hybrid nanostructures were found to exhibit unique electrical behavior in response to UV illumination and acetone vapors. By experimental and theoretical studies of UV and acetone sensitivities of different SWNT-TiO2 hybrid systems, we established a fundamental understanding on the interfacial charge transfer between photoexcited TiO2 and SWNTs as well as the mechanism of acetone sensing. We further demonstrated a practical application of photoinduced acetone sensitivity by fabricating a microsized room temperature acetone sensor that showed fast, linear, and reversible detection of acetone vapors with concentrations in few parts per million range. PMID:23734594

The structure of Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) light-harvesting complex had long been recognized as containing seven bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) molecules. Recently, an additional BChl molecule was discovered in the crystal structure of the FMO complex, which may serve as a link between baseplate and the remaining seven molecules. Here, we investigate excitation energy transfer (EET) process by simulating single-molecule pump-dump experiment in the eight-molecules complex. We adopt the coherent modified Redfield theory and non-Markovian quantum jump method to simulate EET dynamics. This scheme provides a practical approach of detecting the realistic EET pathway in BChl complexes with currently available experimental technology. And it may assist optimizing design of artificial light-harvesting devices. PMID:27277702

The structure of Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) light-harvesting complex had long been recognized as containing seven bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) molecules. Recently, an additional BChl molecule was discovered in the crystal structure of the FMO complex, which may serve as a link between baseplate and the remaining seven molecules. Here, we investigate excitation energy transfer (EET) process by simulating single-molecule pump-dump experiment in the eight-molecules complex. We adopt the coherent modified Redfield theory and non-Markovian quantum jump method to simulate EET dynamics. This scheme provides a practical approach of detecting the realistic EET pathway in BChl complexes with currently available experimental technology. And it may assist optimizing design of artificial light-harvesting devices.

The structure of Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) light-harvesting complex had long been recognized as containing seven bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) molecules. Recently, an additional BChl molecule was discovered in the crystal structure of the FMO complex, which may serve as a link between baseplate and the remaining seven molecules. Here, we investigate excitation energy transfer (EET) process by simulating single-molecule pump-dump experiment in the eight-molecules complex. We adopt the coherent modified Redfield theory and non-Markovian quantum jump method to simulate EET dynamics. This scheme provides a practical approach of detecting the realistic EET pathway in BChl complexes with currently available experimental technology. And it may assist optimizing design of artificial light-harvesting devices. PMID:27277702

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of single embryo transfer (SET) in assisted reproductive technology (ART) on the reduction of the multiple pregnancy rate. We also estimated the monozygotic (MZ) twinning rates according to the SET diffusion indirectly. A reverse sigmoid curve was assumed and examined using nationwide data of SET from 2007 to 2009 in Japan. The multiple pregnancy rate decreased almost linearly where the SET pregnancy rate was between about 40% and 80% of regression approximation. The linear approximation overestimated multiple pregnancy rates in an early period and underestimated multiple pregnancy rates in the final period. The multiple pregnancy rate seemed to be influenced by the improvement of the total pregnancy rate of ART in the early period and by the MZ twinning after SET in the final period. The estimated MZ twinning rate after SET was around 2%. PMID:22900185

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of different activation methods and culture media on the in vitro development of parthenogenetic goat blastocysts. Calcium (Ca2+) ionophore, ethanol or a combination of the two, used as activating reagents, and embryo development medium (EDM), modified Charles Rosenkrans (mCR2a) medium and research vitro cleave (RVCL) medium were used to evaluate the developmental competence of goat blastocysts. Quantitative expression of apoptosis, stress and developmental competence-related genes were analysed in different stages of embryos. In RVCL medium, the cleavage rate of Ca2+ ionophore-treated oocytes (79.61 ± 0.86) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in ethanol (74.90 ± 1.51) or in the combination of both Ca2+ ionophore and ethanol. In mCR2a or EDM, hatched blastocyst production rate of Ca2+ ionophore-treated oocytes (8.33 ± 1.44) was significantly higher than in ethanol (6.46 ± 0.11) or in the combined treatment (6.70 ± 0.24). In ethanol, the cleavage, blastocyst and hatched blastocyst production rates in RVCL medium (74.90 ± 1.51, 18.30 ± 1.52 and 8.24 ± 0.15, respectively) were significantly higher than in EDM (67.81 ± 3.21, 14.59 ± 0.27 and 5.59 ± 0.42) or mCR2a medium (65.09 ± 1.57, 15.36 ± 0.52 and 6.46 ± 0.11). The expression of BAX, Oct-4 and GlUT1 transcripts increased gradually from 2-cell stage to blastocyst-stage embryos, whereas the transcript levels of Bcl-2 and MnSOD were significantly lower in blastocysts. In addition, different activation methods and culture media had little effect on the pattern of variation and relative abundance of the above genes in different stages of parthenogenetic activated goat embryos. In conclusion, Ca2+ ionophore as the activating agent, and RVCL as the culture medium are better than other tested options for development of parthenogenetic activated goat blastocysts. PMID:24405529

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) has many advantages over bulk Si including the reduction of parasitic resistance and increased device speed. Multiple-layer SOI, having more device layers per unit area, enables 3D process integration as well as applications in optics. However, it is impossible to achieve such a system by growth techniques (one can grow only non-crystalline Si on SiO2), and multiple Smart Cut transfers used to create single layer SOI may be prohibitively expensive. We present here a novel method to fabricate such a multiple SOI system using transferred Si nanomembranes^ and subsequent oxidation. The surface roughness and interface quality are examined respectively by AFM and cross-sectional SEM. Low surface roughness (0.176nm) and smooth interfaces are achieved. As an example optical application, we apply the multilayer system to fabricate a Si-based Bragg reflector. The specular reflectivity of one, two, and three-membrane mirrors is measured using FTIR. High specular reflectivity, above 99%, is achieved for three stacked membranes. Comparison of the measured reflectivity with theoretical calculations shows good agreement.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are broadly used for various biomedical applications such as drug delivery, in vivo imaging and cancer photothermal therapy due to their unique physiochemical properties. However, once they enter the cells, the effects of SWCNTs to the intracellular organelles and macromolecules are not comprehensively understood. Cytochrome c (Cyt c), as a key component of the electron transport chain in mitochondria, plays an essential role in cellular energy consumption, growth and differentiation. In this study, we found the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial oxygen uptake were greatly decreased in human epithelial KB cells treated with SWCNTs, which accompanies the reduction of Cyt c. SWCNTs deoxidized Cyt c in a pH dependent manner as evidenced by the appearance of a 550 nm characteristic absorption peak, which intensity increased as pH increase. Circular dichroism measurement confirmed the pH-dependent conformational change, which facilitated closer association of SWCNTs with the heme pocket of Cyt c and thus expedited the reduction of Cyt c. The electron transfer of Cyt c is also disturbed by SWCNTs, as measured with electron spin resonance spectroscopy. In conclusion, the redox activity of Cyt c was affected by SWCNTs treatment due to attenuated electron transfer and conformational change of Cyt c, which consequently changed mitochondrial respiration of SWCNTs treated cells. This work is significant to SWCNTs research because it provided novel understanding to the disruption of SWCNTs to the mitochondria and has important implications for biomedical applications of SWCNTs. PMID:23171082

The aim of this study was to identify factors that inhibit or promote the adoption of single embryo transfer (SET). A cohort of 163 women patients receiving IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment, comprising 87 women choosing SET and 63 women choosing double embryo transfer (DET), were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The data were compared using logistic regression analysis. Confidence in the chance of pregnancy with SET, younger age and first treatment were predictive of a decision for SET. Preference for a healthy and singleton pregnancy was predictive but perceptions of the incidence or risk of multiple gestation were not. Factors such as a sense of time urgency and past experience of treatment were significant and predictive of diminished choice of SET. The clinic doctor was an important influencing factor. The results of this study confirm that improved pregnancy rates in SET coupled with an official clinic policy to promote SET in younger, first cycle patients influenced many women to choose SET. However, repeated treatment, advancing age and urgency to become pregnant are factors that moderate a woman's choice for SET. PMID:18028744

The importance of obtaining stem cells through alternative methods has increased progressively in the recent years due to the potential role that embryonic stem (ES) cells play in the field of regenerative medicine. In this regard, generation of parthenogenetic blastocysts allows the production of ethic-free ES cells without the need to manipulate normal embryos. Our work was aimed at clarifying whether variations in the method adopted to generate diploid parthenogenetic blastocysts could determine differences in the quality of blastocysts produced. In vitro development of mouse oocytes activated with three protocols, using Sr2+ and cytochalasin for different time, was compared with that of in vivo fertilized embryos. We have evaluated the efficiency of blastocyst formation and analysed the expression pattern of the stemness markers OCT4, CDX2, and NANOG. Our results indicate that the yield of diploid parthenogenotes and the segregation of the stemness marker OCT4 in the developing blastocyst are influenced by the parthenogenetic protocol adopted. Particularly, even if all methods tested allowed the production of blastocysts in vitro, the correct segregation of OCT4 occurred only in blastocysts developed from oocytes concomitantly treated for 4 h with Sr2+ and cytochalasin D. Our results indicate that the protocol employed to develop parthenogenetic blastocysts in vitro affects the quality of cells in the inner cell mass. PMID:20376706

In this work we monitor the catalytic mechanism of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Pgp, a member of the ATP binding cassette family of transport proteins, is found in the plasma membrane of animal cells where it is involved in the ATP hydrolysis driven export of hydrophobic molecules. When expressed in the plasma membrane of cancer cells, the transport activity of Pgp can lead to the failure of chemotherapy by excluding the mostly hydrophobic drugs from the interior of the cell. Despite ongoing effort, the catalytic mechanism by which Pgp couples MgATP binding and hydrolysis to translocation of drug molecules across the lipid bilayer is poorly understood. Using site directed mutagenesis, we have introduced cysteine residues for fluorescence labeling into different regions of the nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) of Pgp. Double-labeled single Pgp molecules showed fluctuating FRET efficiencies during drug stimulated ATP hydrolysis suggesting that the NBDs undergo significant movements during catalysis. Duty cycle-optimized alternating laser excitation (DCO-ALEX) is applied to minimize FRET artifacts and to select the appropriate molecules. The data show that Pgp is a highly dynamic enzyme that appears to fluctuate between at least two major conformations during steady state turnover.

Spectral measurement of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), spFRET, is a widely used FRET quantification method in living cells today. We set up a spectrometer-microscope platform that consists of a miniature fiber optic spectrometer and a widefield fluorescence microscope for the spectral measurement of absolute FRET efficiency (E) and acceptor-to-donor concentration ratio (RC) in single living cells. The microscope was used for guiding cells and the spectra were simultaneously detected by the miniature fiber optic spectrometer. Moreover, our platform has independent excitation and emission controllers, so different excitations can share the same emission channel. In addition, we developed a modified spectral FRET quantification method (mlux-FRET) for the multiple donors and multiple acceptors FRET construct (mD˜nA) sample, and we also developed a spectra-based 2-channel acceptor-sensitized FRET quantification method (spE-FRET). We implemented these modified FRET quantification methods on our platform to measure the absolute E and RC values of tandem constructs with different acceptor/donor stoichiometries in single living Huh-7 cells.

I describe a chemo-mechanical theory to treat single molecule imaging and ``stalling'' experiments on the F-ATPase enzyme. This enzyme is an effective stepping biomolecular rotary motor with a rotor shaft and a stator ring. Using group transfer theoretical approach the proposed structure-based theory couples the binding transition of nucleotides in the stator subunits and the physics of torsional elasticity in the rotor. The twisting of the elastic rotor domain acts as a perturbation upon the driving potential, the Gibbs free energy. In the theory, without the use of adjustastable parameters, we predict the rate and equilibrium constant dependence of steps such as ATP binding and phosphate release as a function of manipulated rotor angle. Then we compare these predictions to available data from stalling experiments. Besides treating experiments, the theory can provide guides for atomistic simulations, which could calculate the reorganization parameter and the torsional spring constant. The framework is generic and I discuss its application to other single molecule experiments, such as controlled rotation and other biomolecular motors, including motor-DNA complexes and linear motors.[PNAS, Early Edition, Oct. 19, 2015, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1518489112] The authors would like to acknowledge support from the Office of the Naval Research, the Army Research Office, and the James W. Glanville Foundation.

I describe a chemo-mechanical theory to treat single molecule imaging and ``stalling'' experiments on the F-ATPase enzyme. This enzyme is an effective stepping biomolecular rotary motor with a rotor shaft and a stator ring. Using group transfer theoretical approach the proposed structure-based theory couples the binding transition of nucleotides in the stator subunits and the physics of torsional elasticity in the rotor. The twisting of the elastic rotor domain acts as a perturbation upon the driving potential, the Gibbs free energy. In the theory, without the use of adjustastable parameters, we predict the rate and equilibrium constant dependence of steps such as ATP binding and phosphate release as a function of manipulated rotor angle. Then we compare these predictions to available data from stalling experiments. Besides treating experiments, the theory can provide guides for atomistic simulations, which could calculate the reorganization parameter and the torsional spring constant. The framework is generic and I discuss its application to other single molecule experiments, such as controlled rotation and other biomolecular motors, including motor-DNA complexes and linear motors.[PNAS, Early Edition, Oct. 19, 2015, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1518489112

We theoretically study the ultrafast transfer of a single electron between the ground states of a coupled double quantum dot (QD) structure driven by a nonlinear chirped few-cycle laser pulse. A time-dependent Schrödinger equation without the rotating wave approximation is solved numerically. We demonstrate numerically the possibility to have a complete transfer of a single electron by choosing appropriate values of chirped rate parameters and the intensity of the pulse. Even in the presence of the spontaneous emission and dephasing processes of the QD system, high-efficiency coherent transfer of a single electron can be obtained in a wide range of the pulse parameters. Our results illustrate the potential to utilize few-cycle pulses for the excitation in coupled quantum dot systems through the nonlinear chirp parameter control, as well as a guidance in the design of experimental implementation.

This experiment investigated the osmotic tolerance limits of the morphology and the cellular actin filament organization of porcine blastocysts. In vitro produced Day 6 blastocysts were subjected to osmotic treatments with sucrose solutions of different osmolalities (75, 150, 210, 600, 1200, and 2400 mOsm) and one isotonic solution (NCSU-23, 285 mOsm). Blastocysts were then either fixed immediately, or cultured for 18 h and subsequently fixed with formalin. The morphology of the treated blastocysts was examined under a stereomicroscope and the integrity of the cellular actin filaments of the blastocysts was examined by confocal microscopy after staining with Alexa Fluor 488 phalloidin. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between the osmotic levels and the probability of blastocysts exhibiting disrupted cellular actin filaments. In addition, blastocysts also collapsed in proportion to the levels of osmotic treatments. The osmotic tolerance limits which would maintain 70% of the blastocysts with their original morphology immediately after the treatment were 90 and 170%, respectively, of isotonicity. After 18 h of culture, the osmotic tolerance limits were 61 and 163%, respectively, of isotonicity. Similarly, the osmotic conditions relative to isotonicity which would maintain the integrity of cellular actin filaments in 70% of treated blastocysts had to be within the range of 87 and 147% immediately after the treatment and 87 and 169% after 18 h of culture. Collectively, these data indicate that in vitro produced porcine blastocysts are very sensitive to osmotic stress. This information can be used to optimize cryopreservation procedures for porcine embryos. PMID:16024011

We found retardation of preimplantation embryo growth after exposure to maternal restraint stress during the preimplantation period in our previous study. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of preimplantation maternal restraint stress on the distribution of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cells in mouse blastocysts, and its possible effect on physiological development of offspring. We exposed spontaneously ovulating female mice to restraint stress for 30 min three times a day during the preimplantation period, and this treatment caused a significant increase in blood serum corticosterone concentration. Microscopic evaluation of embryos showed that restraint stress significantly decreased cell counts per blastocyst. Comparing the effect of restraint stress on the two blastocyst cell lineages, we found that the reduction in TE cells was more substantial than the reduction in ICM cells, which resulted in an increased ICM/TE ratio in blastocysts isolated from stressed dams compared with controls. Restraint stress reduced the number of implantation sites in uteri, significantly delayed eye opening in delivered mice, and altered their behavior in terms of two parameters (scratching on the base of an open field test apparatus, time spent in central zone) as well. Moreover, prenatally stressed offspring had significantly lower body weights and in 5-week old females delivered from stressed dams, fat deposits were significantly lower. Our results indicate that exposure to stress during very early pregnancy can have a negative impact on embryonic development with consequences reaching into postnatal life. PMID:25985793

We found retardation of preimplantation embryo growth after exposure to maternal restraint stress during the preimplantation period in our previous study. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of preimplantation maternal restraint stress on the distribution of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cells in mouse blastocysts, and its possible effect on physiological development of offspring. We exposed spontaneously ovulating female mice to restraint stress for 30 min three times a day during the preimplantation period, and this treatment caused a significant increase in blood serum corticosterone concentration. Microscopic evaluation of embryos showed that restraint stress significantly decreased cell counts per blastocyst. Comparing the effect of restraint stress on the two blastocyst cell lineages, we found that the reduction in TE cells was more substantial than the reduction in ICM cells, which resulted in an increased ICM/TE ratio in blastocysts isolated from stressed dams compared with controls. Restraint stress reduced the number of implantation sites in uteri, significantly delayed eye opening in delivered mice, and altered their behavior in terms of two parameters (scratching on the base of an open field test apparatus, time spent in central zone) as well. Moreover, prenatally stressed offspring had significantly lower body weights and in 5-week old females delivered from stressed dams, fat deposits were significantly lower. Our results indicate that exposure to stress during very early pregnancy can have a negative impact on embryonic development with consequences reaching into postnatal life. PMID:25985793

The ultrastructure of in vivo-produced ovine embryos, at the morula, early blastocyst and late blastocyst stages, was evaluated using transmission electron microscopy. Embryonic cells were characterized by the presence of intact intercellular junctions, numerous mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and light vesicles. Polyribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, secondary lysosomes, Golgi complexes and lipid droplets were also observed in the cytoplasm. The nucleus was well defined and organized, with an intact envelope rich in nuclear pore complexes, and one or more reticular nucleoli. Microvilli were present in external blastomeres of morulae and became more abundant in trophectoderm cells of early and late blastocysts. Light vesicles seemed to be associated with small cisternae of Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum origin. These cisternae fused and created light vesicles with engulfed heterogeneous cytosolic structures, small cisternae and vesicles. Their labile membrane enabled them to rapidly coalesce into medium-sized vesicles that began to engulf mitochondria and lipid droplets, forming giant vacuoles mostly filled with fat. Incomplete matured secretory vesicles were observed to exocytose into the perivitelline space of morulae, whereas fully matured secretory vesicles appeared only in trophectoderm cells, being exocytosed into the blastocoelic cavity. These observations suggested that these endoplasmic-/Golgi-derived vesicles behave as active autophagic organelles presenting probably a maturation process from compact morulae to blastocyst. PMID:25076424

Two porcine cell lines of yolk-sac visceral endoderm, designated PE-1 and PE-2, were derived from in vivo 11-day porcine blastocysts that were either ovoid (PE-1) or at the early tubular stage of elongation (PE-2). Primary and secondary culture of cell lines was done on STO feeder cells. The PE-1 ...

The first intercellular differences during mammalian embryogenesis arise in the blastocyst, producing the inner cell mass and the trophectoderm. The trophectoderm is the first extraembryonic tissue and does not contribute to the embryo proper, its differentiation instead forming tissues that sustain embryonic development. Crucial roles in extraembryonic differentiation have been identified for certain transcription factors, but a comprehensive picture of the regulation of this early specification is still lacking. Here, we investigated whether the regulatory mechanisms involved in Cdx2 expression in the blastocyst are also utilized in the postimplantation embryo. We analyzed an enhancer that is regulated through Hippo and Notch in the blastocyst trophectoderm, unexpectedly finding that it is inactive in the extraembryonic structures at postimplantation stages. Further analysis identified other Cdx2 regulatory elements including a stem-cell specific regulatory sequence and an element that drives reporter expression in the trophectoderm, a subset of cells in the extraembryonic region of the postimplantation embryo and in trophoblast stem cells. The cross-comparison in this study of cis-regulatory elements employed in the blastocyst, stem cell populations and the postimplantation embryo provides new insights into early mammalian development and suggests a two-step mechanism in Cdx2 regulation. PMID:27256674

The first intercellular differences during mammalian embryogenesis arise in the blastocyst, producing the inner cell mass and the trophectoderm. The trophectoderm is the first extraembryonic tissue and does not contribute to the embryo proper, its differentiation instead forming tissues that sustain embryonic development. Crucial roles in extraembryonic differentiation have been identified for certain transcription factors, but a comprehensive picture of the regulation of this early specification is still lacking. Here, we investigated whether the regulatory mechanisms involved in Cdx2 expression in the blastocyst are also utilized in the postimplantation embryo. We analyzed an enhancer that is regulated through Hippo and Notch in the blastocyst trophectoderm, unexpectedly finding that it is inactive in the extraembryonic structures at postimplantation stages. Further analysis identified other Cdx2 regulatory elements including a stem-cell specific regulatory sequence and an element that drives reporter expression in the trophectoderm, a subset of cells in the extraembryonic region of the postimplantation embryo and in trophoblast stem cells. The cross-comparison in this study of cis-regulatory elements employed in the blastocyst, stem cell populations and the postimplantation embryo provides new insights into early mammalian development and suggests a two-step mechanism in Cdx2 regulation. PMID:27256674

One of the greatest challenges with single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) photovoltaics and nanostructured devices is maintaining the nanotubes in their pristine state (i.e., devoid of aggregation and inhomogeneous doping) so that their unique spectroscopic and transport characteristics are preserved. To this effect, we report on the synthesis and self-assembly of a C60-functionalized flavin (FC60), composed of PCBM and isoalloxazine moieties attached on either ends of a linear, C-12 aliphatic spacer. Small amounts of FC60 (up to 3 molar %) were shown to coassembly with an organic soluble derivative of flavin (FC12) around SWNTs and impart effective dispersion and individualization. A key annealing step was necessary to perfect the isoalloxazine helix and expel the C60 moiety away from the nanotubes. Steady-state and transient absorption spectroscopy illustrate that 1% or higher incorporation of FC60 allows for an effective photoinduced charge transfer quenching of the encased SWNTs through the seamless helical encase. This is enabled via the direct π-π overlap between the graphene sidewalls, isoalloxazine helix, and the C60 cage that facilitates SWNT exciton dissociation and electron transfer to the PCBM moiety. Atomistic molecular simulations indicate that the stability of the complex originates from enhanced van der Waals interactions of the flexible spacer wrapped around the fullerene that brings the C60 in π-π overlap with the isoalloxazine helix. The remarkable spectral purity (in terms of narrow E(S)ii line widths) for the resulting ground-state complex signals a new class of highly organized supramolecular nanotube architecture with profound importance for advanced nanostructured devices. PMID:27127896

The last decade has seen incredible growth in the quality of experiments being done on single molecule junctions. Contemporary experimental measurements have expanded far beyond simple electron transport. Measurement of vibronic eects, quantum interference and decoherence eects, molecular optical response (Raman spectroscopy), and molecular spintronics are just some of the continuing areas of research in single molecule junctions. Experimental advancements demand advanced theoretical treatments, which can be used accurately within appropriate physical regimes, in order to understand measured phenomena and predict interesting directions for future study. In this dissertation we will study systems with strong intra-system interactions using a many-body states based approach. We will be focused on three related processes in molecular junctions: electron transport, electronic energy transfer, and molecular excitation. Inelastic electron transport in the regime of strong and nonlinear electron-vibration coupling within and outside of the Born-Oppenheimer regime will be investigated. To understand their appropriateness, we will compare simple semi-classical approximations in molecular redox junctions and electron-counting devices to fully quantum calculations based on many-body system states. The role of coherence and quantum interference in energy and electron transfer in molecular junctions is explored. Experiments that simultaneously measure surface enhanced Raman scattering and electron conduction have revealed a strong interaction between conducting electrons and molecular excitation. We investigate the role of the molecular response to a classical surface plasmon enhanced electric eld considering the back action of the oscillating molecular dipole. Raman scattering is quantum mechanical by nature and involves strong interaction between surface plasmons in the contacts and the molecular excitation. We develop a scheme for treating strong plasmon-molecular excitation

The early reproductive events starting with folliculogenesis and ending with blastocyst implantation into the uterine endometrium are regulated by a complex interplay among endocrine, paracrine and autocrine factors. This review examines the spatiotemporal integration of these maternal and embryonic signals that are required for successful reproduction. In coordination with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) hormones, an intraovarian HPG-like axis regulates folliculogenesis, follicular quiescence, ovulation, follicular atresia, and corpus luteal functions. Upon conception and passage of the zygote through the fallopian tube, the contribution of maternal hormones in the form of paracrine secretions from the endosalpinx to embryonic development declines, with autocrine and paracrine signaling becoming increasingly important as instructional signals for the differentiation of the early zygote/morula into a blastocyst. These maternal and embryonic signals include activin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 (GnRH1) that are crucial for the synthesis and secretion of the 'pregnancy' hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). hCG in turn signals pre-implantation embryonic cell division and sex steroid production required for stem cell differentiation, and subsequent blastulation, gastrulation, cavitation and blastocyst formation. Upon reaching the uterus, blastocyst hatching occurs under the influence of decreased activin signaling, while the attachment and invasion of the trophoblast into the endometrium appears to be driven by a decrease in activin signaling, and by increased GnRH1 and hCG signaling that allows for tissue remodeling and the controlled invasion of the blastocyst into the uterine endometrium. This review demonstrates the importance of integrative endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine signaling for successful human reproduction. PMID:27045358

Implantation rates remain low following human in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Suboptimal culture conditions may limit the ability of embryos to hatch as blastocysts, and artificial opening of the zona pellucida has been proposed as a means to promote subsequent hatching (assisted hatching). Such techniques must have minimal adverse effects on the embryos, while maximizing the potential for an embryo to hatch fully as a blastocyst. In a mouse model, we compared embryonic development after zona drilling, and cruciate thinning of the zona (CTOZ) intended to simulate the natural thinning of the zona pellucida. Using acidic Tyrode's solution both zona drilling and cruciate-thinning were performed on day 3 morulae. On day 4 the rates of complete hatching of blastocysts were 0/165, 24/172 and 72/175 in control, zona drilled and thinned groups respectively (P less than 0.0001). On day 5 the rates of complete hatching in the same groups were 20/165, 54/172 and 120/175 respectively (P less than 0.00001) and by day 6, 66/165, 74/172 and 130/175 respectively (P less than 0.00001). The rate of arrest at the morula stage was 24/172 versus 8/175 in the zona drilled and thinned groups respectively (P less than 0.005, whilst the rate of arrest at the blastocyst stage was 21/172 versus 14/175 respectively (NS). Hence cruciate thinning of the zona appears less detrimental at the morula stage than zona drilling, but eventual rates of arrest at the blastocyst stage were comparable. Both techniques significantly increased the rate of hatching, but zona drilling did not guarantee complete hatching.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1522198

Proteins are highly complex systems, exhibiting a substantial degree of structural variability in their folded state. In the presence of denaturants, the heterogeneity is greatly enhanced, and fluctuations among vast numbers of folded and unfolded conformations occur via many different pathways. Here, we have studied the structure and dynamics of the small enzyme ribonuclease HI (RNase H) in the presence of the chemical denaturant guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, with a particular focus on the characterization of the unfolded-state ensemble. A dye pair was specifically attached to the enzyme to measure structural changes through Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Enzyme immobilization on star-polymer surfaces that were specially developed for negligible interaction with folded and unfolded proteins enabled us to monitor conformational changes of individual proteins for several hundred seconds. FRET efficiency histograms were calculated from confocal scan images. They showed an expansion of the unfolded proteins with increasing GdmCl concentration. Cross-correlation analysis of donor and acceptor fluorescence intensity time traces from single molecules revealed reconfiguration of the polypeptide chain on a timescale of ≈20 μs at 1.7 M GdmCl. Slow conformational dynamics gave rise to characteristic, stepwise FRET efficiency changes. Transitions between folded and unfolded enzyme molecules occurred on the 100-s timescale, in excellent agreement with bulk denaturation experiments. Transitions between unfolded conformations were more frequent, with characteristic times of ≈2 s. These data were analyzed to obtain information on the free energy landscape of RNase H in the presence of chemical denaturants. PMID:16221762

Flip-chip (FC) packaging is a key technology for realizing high performance, ultra-miniaturized and high-density circuits in the micro-electronics industry. In this technique the chip and/or the substrate is bumped and the two are bonded via these conductive bumps. Many bumping techniques have been developed and intensively investigated since the introduction of the FC technology in 1960(1) such as stencil printing, stud bumping, evaporation and electroless/electroplating2. Despite the progress that these methods have made they all suffer from one or more than one drawbacks that need to be addressed such as cost, complex processing steps, high processing temperatures, manufacturing time and most importantly the lack of flexibility. In this paper, we demonstrate a simple and cost-effective laser-based bump forming technique known as Laser-induced Forward Transfer (LIFT)3. Using the LIFT technique a wide range of bump materials can be printed in a single-step with great flexibility, high speed and accuracy at RT. In addition, LIFT enables the bumping and bonding down to chip-scale, which is critical for fabricating ultra-miniature circuitry. PMID:25867627

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from individual, dye-labeled RNA molecules confined in freely-diffusing attoliter-volume aqueous droplets is carefully compared to FRET from unconfined RNA in solution. The use of freely-diffusing droplets is a remarkably simple and high-throughput technique that facilitates a substantial increase in signal-to-noise for single-molecular-pair FRET measurements. We show that there can be dramatic differences between FRET in solution and in droplets, which we attribute primarily to an altered pH in the confining environment. We also demonstrate that a sufficient concentration of a non-ionic surfactant mitigates this effect and restores FRET to its neutral-pH solution value. At low surfactant levels, even accounting for pH, we observe differences between the distribution of FRET values in solution and in droplets which remain unexplained. Our results will facilitate the use of nanoemulsion droplets as attoliter volume reactors for use in biophysical and biochemical assays, and also in applications such as protein crystallization or nanoparticle synthesis, where careful attention to the pH of the confined phase is required.

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from individual, dye-labeled RNA molecules confined in freely-diffusing attoliter-volume aqueous droplets is carefully compared to FRET from unconfined RNA in solution. The use of freely-diffusing droplets is a remarkably simple and high-throughput technique that facilitates a substantial increase in signal-to-noise for single-molecular-pair FRET measurements. We show that there can be dramatic differences between FRET in solution and in droplets, which we attribute primarily to an altered pH in the confining environment. We also demonstrate that a sufficient concentration of a non-ionic surfactant mitigates this effect and restores FRET to its neutral-pH solution value. At low surfactant levels, even accounting for pH, we observe differences between the distribution of FRET values in solution and in droplets which remain unexplained. Our results will facilitate the use of nanoemulsion droplets as attoliter volume reactors for use in biophysical and biochemical assays, and also in applications such as protein crystallization or nanoparticle synthesis, where careful attention to the pH of the confined phase is required.

High-content analysis has revolutionized cancer drug discovery by identifying substances that alter the phenotype of a cell, which prevents tumor growth and metastasis. The high-resolution biofluorescence images from assays allow precise quantitative measures enabling the distinction of small molecules of a host cell from a tumor. In this work, we are particularly interested in the application of deep neural networks (DNNs), a cutting-edge machine learning method, to the classification of compounds in chemical mechanisms of action (MOAs). Compound classification has been performed using image-based profiling methods sometimes combined with feature reduction methods such as principal component analysis or factor analysis. In this article, we map the input features of each cell to a particular MOA class without using any treatment-level profiles or feature reduction methods. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of DNN in this domain, leveraging single-cell information. Furthermore, we use deep transfer learning (DTL) to alleviate the intensive and computational demanding effort of searching the huge parameter's space of a DNN. Results show that using this approach, we obtain a 30% speedup and a 2% accuracy improvement. PMID:26746583

This report discusses research in the collision dynamics of translationally hot atoms, with funding with DOE for the project Single-Collision Studies of Hot Atom Energy Transfer and Chemical Reaction,'' Grant Number DE-FG03-85ER13453. The work reported here was done during the period September 9, 1988 through October 31, 1991. During this period this DOE-funded work has been focused on several different efforts: (1) experimental studies of the state-to-state dynamics of the H + RH {yields} H{sub 2} R reactions where RH is CH{sub 4}, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, or C{sub 3}H{sub 8}, (2) theoretical (quasiclassical trajectory) studies of hot hydrogen atom collision dynamics, (3) the development of photochemical sources of translationally hot molecular free radicals and characterization of the high resolution CARS spectroscopy of molecular free radicals, (4) the implementation of stimulated Raman excitation (SRE) techniques for the preparation of vibrationally state-selected molecular reactants.

This report discusses research in the collision dynamics of translationally hot atoms, with funding with DOE for the project ``Single-Collision Studies of Hot Atom Energy Transfer and Chemical Reaction,`` Grant Number DE-FG03-85ER13453. The work reported here was done during the period September 9, 1988 through October 31, 1991. During this period this DOE-funded work has been focused on several different efforts: (1) experimental studies of the state-to-state dynamics of the H + RH {yields} H{sub 2} R reactions where RH is CH{sub 4}, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, or C{sub 3}H{sub 8}, (2) theoretical (quasiclassical trajectory) studies of hot hydrogen atom collision dynamics, (3) the development of photochemical sources of translationally hot molecular free radicals and characterization of the high resolution CARS spectroscopy of molecular free radicals, (4) the implementation of stimulated Raman excitation (SRE) techniques for the preparation of vibrationally state-selected molecular reactants.

Most in vitro fertilization (IVF) experts and infertility patients agree that the most ideal assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome is to have a healthy, full-term singleton born. To this end, the most reliable policy is the single-embryo transfer (SET). However, unsatisfactory results in IVF may result from plenty of factors, in which aneuploidy associated with advanced maternal age is a major hurdle. Throughout the past few years, we have got a big leap in advancement of the genetic screening of embryos on aneuploidy, translocation, or mutations. This facilitates a higher success rate in IVF accompanied by the policy of elective SET (eSET). As the cost is lowering while the scale of genome characterization continues to be up over the recent years, the contemporary technologies on trophectoderm biopsy and freezing-thaw, comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) with eSET appear to be getting more and more popular for modern IVF centers. Furthermore, evidence has showen that, by these avant-garde techniques (trophectoderm biopsy, vitrification, and CCS), older infertile women with the help of eSET may have an opportunity to increase the success of their live birth rates approaching those reported in younger infertility patients. PMID:24991216

Background It is still debatable whether a full-thickness assisted hatching (AH) is better than the partial zona thinning. In this research, we used a mouse model to study the effect of partial and complete laser-AH on the rate of completely hatched blastocyst and their cell numbers. Methods In experiment 1, mouse morulae had 0, 1, 2 or 3 full-thickness openings of 10 microns created in the zona pellucida with an infrared laser beam. In the second experiment, 0, 1 and 2 openings of 20 microns were studied. In the third experiment, a full-thickness opening of 20 microns or quarter-thinning of the zonal circumference to a depth of 90% was compared with non-AH controls. Results No difference in blastocyst formation was found in laser-treated groups and in the controls. In experiment 1, the rate of completely hatched blastocysts was significantly lower than the controls. In experiment 2 when the size of the opening was increased, blastocysts completely hatched at a significantly higher rate than that in the controls. In experiment 3, the rate of completely hatched blastocysts was the highest in the full-thickness group. Cell numbers in completely hatched blastocysts from both AH groups were significantly fewer than those in the controls. Conclusions Full-thickness opening resulted in a higher rate of completely hatched blastocysts than quarter zonal-thinning and controls, but the cell numbers were significantly decreased. PMID:23510434

The effects of protein supplements and culture dish type on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo development in culture were examined in the domestic cat. In Experiment I, follicular oocytes were fertilized and cultured in either 1) modified Earle's balanced salt solution, designated MK-1, supplemented with one of the following: 10% human serum (HS), 10% FCS or 0.4% BSA, or 2) Medium 199 (M-199) supplemented with 10% FCS. Fertilization rates were lower (P < 0.01) in MK-1 + BSA (74.4%), MK-1 + FCS (56.1%), and M-199 + FCS (51.4%) than in MK-1 + HS (94.7%). A greater (P < 0.01) percentage of blastocysts was obtained in MK-1 + HS (50.0%) than in other treatment groups (range, 4.3-17.2%). In Experiment II, the effect of dish type (tissue culture dish, TCD, versus suspension culture dish, SCD) on embryo development was evaluated in MK-1 supplemented with either HS or BSA. Significantly higher proportions of IVF-derived embryos developed to blastocysts at 120 and 144 hr post-insemination, respectively, when cultured in HS/SCD (47.2 and 71.7%) than in BSA/SCD (11.4 and 27.3%) or BSA/TCD (10.4 and 25.0%). At 120 hr post-insemination, there was a lower (P < 0.01) percentage of blastocysts in HS/TCD (22.2%) than in HS/SCD. In Experiment III, six embryos per cat were transferred to the uterine horns of 17 recipients at 144 hr after hCG treatment. Five of 7 recipients which received late morulae cultured in MK-1 + BSA (SCD) for 120 hr became pregnant (71.4%). Eight of 10 recipients which received early blastocysts cultured in MK-1 + HS (SCD) for 120 hr became pregnant (80.0%). We conclude that MK-1 containing HS is highly beneficial for overcoming the in vitro developmental block of IVF-derived feline embryos and increasing the success rate of IVF/ET. PMID:9592713

Charge transfer dynamics in DNA: Photo-induced charge separation and charge-recombination dynamics in DNA was assessed by monitoring the blinking of fluorescence. Single nucleotide variations, mismatch and one base deletion, were differentiated based on the length of the off-time of the blinking, which corresponds to the lifetime of the charge-separated state. PMID:23846860

This paper presents a method for discriminating the location of the sound source (talker) using only a single microphone. In a previous work, the single-channel approach for discriminating the location of the sound source was discussed, where the acoustic transfer function from a user's position is estimated by using a hidden Markov model of clean speech in the cepstral domain. In this paper, each cepstral dimension of the acoustic transfer function is newly weighted, in order to obtain the cepstral dimensions having information that is useful for classifying the user's position. Then, this paper proposes a feature-weighting method for the cepstral parameter using multiple kernel learning, defining the base kernels for each cepstral dimension of the acoustic transfer function. The user's position is trained and classified by support vector machine. The effectiveness of this method has been confirmed by sound source (talker) localization experiments performed in different room environments. PMID:23363107

Results of absorption and radio luminescence measurements of YalO3, Y3Al5O12, LiTaO3, LiNbO3, YVO4 single crystals and Li2B4O7 single crystals and glasses doped with rare-earth and transition metal ions and LiF crystal were presented. Analysis of excitation energy transfer of x-rays from lattice sites to active ions was performed. Changes in absorption spectra were also analyzed due to (gamma) -quanta irradiation of Nd3+ doped LiYF4 single crystal with a dose of 105 Gy.

The objective of this study was to modify and optimize a vitrification protocol (open pulled straw) that was originally designed for human oocytes and embryos, to make it suitable for the cryopreservation of camel hatched blastocysts. The original open pulled straw protocol was a complex process with 15-minute exposure of oocytes/embryos in 7.5% ethylene glycol (EG) and 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) for equilibration, and cooling in 16% EG + 16% Me2SO + 1 M sucrose. Recognizing a need to better control the cryoprotectant (CPA) concentrations, while avoiding toxicity to the embryos, the effects on the survival rate and developmental potential of camel embryos in vitro were investigated using two different methods of loading the CPAs into the embryos (stepwise and semicontinuous increase in concentration), two different loading temperature/time (room temperature ∼24 °C/15 min and body 37 °C/3 min), and the replacement of Me2SO with EG alone or in combination with glycerol (Gly). A total of 145 in vivo-derived embryos were subjected to these processes, and after warming their morphological quality and integrity, and re-expansion was assessed after 0, 2, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours of culture. Exposure of embryos in a stepwise method was more beneficial to the survival of embryos than was the semicontinuous process, and loading of CPAs at 37 °C with a short exposure time (3 minutes) resulted in an outcome comparable to the original processing at room temperature with a longer exposure time (15 minutes). The replacement of the Me2SO + EG mixture with EG only or a combination of EG + Gly in the vitrification medium significantly improved the outcome of all these evaluation criteria (P < 0.05). The modified protocol of loading EG at 37 °C for 3 minutes has increased the embryo survival of the original protocol from 67% to 91% and the developmental rate from 57% to 83% at 5-day culture. These results were comparable to or better than those reported in human or other

Summary Integration of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) cDNA ends by integrase (IN) into host chromosomes involves a concerted integration mechanism. IN juxtaposes two DNA blunt-ends to form the synaptic complex (SC) which is the intermediate in the concerted integration pathway. SC is inactivated by strand transfer inhibitors (STI) with IC50 values of ~20 nM for inhibition of concerted integration. We detected a new nucleoprotein complex on native agarose that was produced in the presence of STI >200 nM, termed IN-single DNA (ISD) complex. Two IN dimers appear to bind in a parallel fashion at the DNA terminus producing a ~32 bp DNaseI protective footprint. In the presence of Raltegravir, MK-2048 and L-841,411, IN incorporated ~20 to 25% of the input blunt-ended DNA substrate into the stabilized ISD complex. Seven other STI also produced the ISD complex (≤ 5% of input DNA). The formation of the ISD complex was not dependent upon 3’ OH processing and the DNA was predominately blunt-ended in the complex. Raltegravir-resistant IN mutant N155H weakly form the ISD complex in the presence of Raltegravir at ~25% level of wild type IN. In contrast, MK-2048 and L-841,411 produced ~3 to 5-fold more ISD than Raltegravir with N155H IN, which is susceptible to these two inhibitors. The results suggest STI are slow binding inhibitors and the potency to form and stabilize the ISD complex is not always related to inhibition of concerted integration. Rather, the apparent binding and dissociation properties of each STI influenced the production of the ISD complex. PMID:21295584

This study examined the influence of EGF on the expression of EGF receptors (EGFR) and developmental competence of embryos cultured individually versus those cultured in groups. Cat oocytes were in vitro matured and fertilized (IVM/IVF), and cleaved embryos were randomly assigned to one of seven culture conditions: one group each in which embryos were subjected to group culture supplemented with or without 5 ng/ml EGF and five groups in which embryos were subjected to single-embryo culture supplemented with EGF (0, 5, 25, 50 or 100 ng/ml). Morulae, blastocysts and hatching blastocysts were assessed at days 5 and 7; post IVF, respectively, and total blastocyst cell numbers were assessed at day 7. Relative mRNA expressions of EGFR of 2–4-cell embryos, 8–16-cell embryos, morulae and blastocysts cultured in groups or singly with or without EGF supplementation were examined. OCT3/4 and Ki67 in blastocysts derived from the group or single-embryo culture systems with or without EGF supplementation were localized. A higher rate of embryos cultured in groups developed to blastocysts than individually incubated cohorts. Although EGF increased blastocyst formation in the single-embryo culture system, EGF did not affect embryo development in group culture. Expression levels of EGFR decreased in morulae and blastocysts cultured with EGF. An increased ratio of Ki67-positive cells to the total number of cells in the blastocyst was observed in singly cultured embryos in the presence of EGF. However, EGF did not affect the expression of OCT3/4. These findings indicate that EGF enhanced developmental competence of cat embryos cultured singly by stimulating cell proliferation and modulating the EGFR expression at various developmental stages. PMID:25985792

In this study, several read/write tests were conducted using a novel ferroelectric data storage test system equipped with a spindle motor, targeted at high-speed data transfer using a single probe head. A periodically inverted signal can be read out correctly with a bit rate of 100 kbps using this test system, and 10 Mbps data transfer is also possible during writing operations. The effect of a dc-offset voltage applied to the writing waveform with high-speed probe scanning is discussed. In addition, a novel noncontact probe height control technique was adopted to solve the problem of tip abrasion. PMID:18276549

Long-term exposure of male mice to inorganic lead (lead chloride, 1 g/liter) in the drinking water reduces their fertility. The cause of this reduction, expressed as a decrease in the number of mated females showing inplantations, was investigated, using an in vivo fertilization method. It was found that spermatozoa from lead-exposed males had a significantly lower ability to fertilize mouse eggs than those from unexposed males. Preimplantation embryos, isolated from uterine horns of mice mated with lead-exposed males. Preimplantation embryos, isolated from uterine horns of mice mated with lead-exposed males, were examined. No morphologically abnormal embryos were found. However, when cultured in vitro over the implantation period, blastocysts of the group mated with lead-exposed males showed an increased frequency of delayed hatching from the zona pellucida or an inability to hatch. Among blastocysts from this group a decreased frequency of inner cell mass development was also found.

Summary Methyl transfer from S-adenosyl methionine (abbreviated as AdoMet) to biologically active molecules such as mRNAs and tRNAs is one of the most fundamental and widespread reactions in nature, occurring in all three domains of life. The measurement of kinetic constants of AdoMet-dependent methyl transfer is therefore important for understanding the reaction mechanism in the context of biology. When kinetic constants of methyl transfer are measured in steady state over multiple rounds of turnover, the meaning of these constants is difficult to define and is often limited by non-chemical steps of the reaction, such as product release after each turnover. Here the measurement of kinetic constants of methyl transfer by tRNA methyltransferases in rapid equilibrium binding condition for one methyl transfer is described. The advantage of such a measurement is that the meaning of kinetic constants can be directly assigned to the steps associated with the chemistry of methyl transfer, including the substrate binding affinity to the methyl transferase, the pre-chemistry re-arrangement of the active site, and the chemical step of methyl transfer. An additional advantage is that kinetic constants measured for one methyl transfer can be correlated with structural information of the methyl transferase to gain direct insight into its reaction mechanism. PMID:26965259

Aminotroponiminates (atis) are shown to be redox-active ligands. Under strongly reducing conditions, the result of electron transfer can be controlled by the choice of the metal bound to the ati ligand. Either reversible electron transfer or a reductively induced dimerisation is observed. The latter reaction is (regio- and diastereo-) selective and chemically reversible. PMID:27452905

Triply vibrationally enhanced four-wave mixing spectroscopy is employed to observe vibrational coherence transfer between the asymmetric and symmetric CO-stretching modes of rhodium(I) dicarbonyl acetylacetonate (RDC). Coherence transfer is a nonradiative transition of a coherent superposition of quantum states to a different coherent superposition due to coupling of the vibrational modes through the bath. All three excitation pulses in the experiment are resonant with a single quantum coherence, but coherence transfer results in new coherences with different frequencies. The new output frequency is observed with a monochromator that resolves it from the stronger peak at the original excitation frequency. This technique spectrally resolves pathways that include coherence transfer, discriminates against spectral features created solely by radiative transitions, and temporally resolves modulations created by interference between different coherence transfer pathways. Redfield theory simulates the temporal modulations in the impulsive limit, but it is also clear that coherence transfer violates the secular approximation invoked in most Redfield theories. Instead, it requires non-Markovian and bath memory effects. RDC may provide a simple model for the development of theories that incorporate these effects. PMID:18572931

Exposing day 5 bovine morulae to reactive oxygen species induces a delayed degeneration of some blastocysts on day 8 post-insemination (pi) but without affecting the blastocyst rates. The aim of this study was to characterize the resisting and the degenerating population of blastocysts. The kinetics of degeneration of the embryos exposed to the two pro-oxidant agents: 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) was evaluated using time-lapse cinematography. With both agents the first signs of degeneration appeared at day 7.5 pi but the duration of the degeneration process was shorter in presence of AAPH than BSO (4.2 vs. 12.5 hr, ANOVA, P < 0.05). The resisting blastocysts derived from morulae with a larger diameter (mean diameter: 161 vs. 154 microm, ANOVA, P < 0.05) and showed an earlier cavitation (135 vs. 142 hpi, P < 0.05) than the degenerating ones. The profile of protein neosynthesis at day 7 was not affected by the treatment. The proportion of male embryos was more important in the resisting than in the degenerating population (70 vs. 55%, chi2, P < 0.05) especially when the stress was induced by AAPH. The quality of the resisting embryos, measured by the total cell number and the rate of apoptosis, did not seem to be affected when compared to control embryos. In conclusion, resistance to oxidative stress seems related to the kinetics of development and/or the sex of the embryos. Resisting embryos apparently display a quality similar to untreated embryos. PMID:15806560

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes are critical for regulating nutrients, hormones, and endobiotics, as well as for detoxifying xenobiotics. Human and murine fetuses are known to express glucuronidation enzymes, but there are currently no data prior to implantation. Here we addressed this gap in knowledge and tested whether Ugt enzymes are already present in preimplantation-stage embryos. Blastocysts were obtained after in vitro fertilization with gametes from B6D2F1 hybrid mice and from embryo culture. Protein expression and localization were determined using pan-specific UGT1A and UGT2B, as well as anti-human isoform-specific antibodies. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that blastocysts expressed Ugt1a globally, in the cytoplasm and nuclei of all of the cells. Western blots demonstrated the presence of Ugt1a6 but not Ugt1a1, Ugt1a3, Ugt1a4, or Ugt1a9. The Ugt2b proteins were not detected by either assay. The level of Ugt activity in murine blastocysts was comparable with that of the adult human liver (per milligram of protein), but the activity of β-glucuronidase, an Ugt-partnering enzyme responsible for substrate regeneration, was lower. Altogether, these data confirm that Ugt1a proteins are present and active in preimplantation murine embryos and point to a potential role for these proteins in implantation and early embryonic and fetal development. PMID:25200869

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes are critical for regulating nutrients, hormones, and endobiotics, as well as for detoxifying xenobiotics. Human and murine fetuses are known to express glucuronidation enzymes, but there are currently no data prior to implantation. Here we addressed this gap in knowledge and tested whether Ugt enzymes are already present in preimplantation-stage embryos. Blastocysts were obtained after in vitro fertilization with gametes from B6D2F1 hybrid mice and from embryo culture. Protein expression and localization were determined using pan-specific UGT1A and UGT2B, as well as anti-human isoform-specific antibodies. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that blastocysts expressed Ugt1a globally, in the cytoplasm and nuclei of all of the cells. Western blots demonstrated the presence of Ugt1a6 but not Ugt1a1, Ugt1a3, Ugt1a4, or Ugt1a9. The Ugt2b proteins were not detected by either assay. The level of Ugt activity in murine blastocysts was comparable with that of the adult human liver (per milligram of protein), but the activity of β-glucuronidase, an Ugt-partnering enzyme responsible for substrate regeneration, was lower. Altogether, these data confirm that Ugt1a proteins are present and active in preimplantation murine embryos and point to a potential role for these proteins in implantation and early embryonic and fetal development. PMID:25200869

Thyroid hormones (THs) have been shown to improve in vitro embryo production in cattle by increasing blastocyst formation rate, and the average cell number of blastocysts and by significantly decreasing apoptosis rate. To better understand those genetic aspects that may underlie enhanced early embryo development in the presence of THs, we characterized the bovine embryonic transcriptome at the blastocyst stage, and examined differential gene expression profiles using a bovine-specific microarray. We found that 1212 genes were differentially expressed in TH-treated embryos when compared with non-treated controls (>1.5-fold at P < 0.05). In addition 23 and eight genes were expressed uniquely in control and treated embryos, respectively. The expression of genes specifically associated with metabolism, mitochondrial function, cell differentiation and development were elevated. However, TH-related genes, including those encoding TH receptors and deiodinases, were not differentially expressed in treated embryos. Furthermore, the over-expression of 52 X-chromosome linked genes in treated embryos suggested a delay or escape from X-inactivation. This study highlights the significant impact of THs on differential gene expression in the early embryo; the identification of TH-responsive genes provides an insight into those regulatory pathways activated during development. PMID:26099992

Generation of functional organs from patients' own cells is one of the ultimate goals of regenerative medicine. As a novel approach to creation of organs from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), we employed blastocyst complementation in organogenesis-disabled animals and successfully generated PSC-derived pancreas and kidneys. Blastocyst complementation, which exploits the capacity of PSCs to participate in forming chimeras, does not, however, exclude contribution of PSCs to the development of tissues-including neural cells or germ cells-other than those specifically targeted by disabling of organogenesis. This fact provokes ethical controversy if human PSCs are to be used. In this study, we demonstrated that forced expression of Mix-like protein 1 (encoded by Mixl1) can be used to guide contribution of mouse embryonic stem cells to endodermal organs after blastocyst injection. We then succeeded in applying this method to generate functional pancreas in pancreatogenesis-disabled Pdx1 knockout mice using a newly developed tetraploid-based organ-complementation method. These findings hold promise for targeted organ generation from patients' own PSCs in livestock animals. PMID:25192056

When a defect occurs in the in vitro development of a pronuclear embryo, the interruption of the subsequent implantation limits the success of assisted conception. This common problem remains to be solved. In this study, we observed that melatonin at its physiological concentration (10(-7) m) significantly promoted the in vitro development of murine pronuclear embryos. This was indicated by the increased blastocyst rate, hatching blastocyst rate, and blastocyst cell number with melatonin treatment. In addition, when these blastocysts were implanted into female recipient mice, the pregnancy rates (95.0% versus control 67.8%), litter sizes (4.1 pups/litter versus control 2.7 pups/litter), and postnatal survival rates of offspring (96.84% versus control 81.24%) were significantly improved compared with their non-melatonin-treated counterparts. Mechanistic studies revealed that melatonin treatment upregulates gene expression of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the anti-apoptotic factor bcl-2 while downregulating the expression of pro-apoptotic genes p53 and caspase-3. Due to these changes, melatonin treatment reduces ROS production and cellular apoptosis during in vitro embryo development and improves the quality of blastocysts. The implantation of blastocysts with higher quality leads to more healthy offspring and increased pup survival. PMID:23772689

Production of transgenic animals via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) has been widely used worldwide. However, the application of SCNT is impeded by overall high costs and low efficiency. Here, we reported a modification of the existing technology in order to overcome some of the disadvantages associated with SCNT. Firstly, a marker gene, enhanced green fluorescent gene (EGFP), was transfected into pig fetal fibroblast cells, and was subsequently screened by fluorescent expression to ensure donor cells expressing EGFP. Porcine embryos expressing EGFP were then produced by a method called handmade cloning (HMC), a simplified method for micromanipulation. To demonstrate the concept, we collected a total of 378 fresh swine oocytes, from which 266 with the nucleus removed, obtained a total of 127 viable recombinant oocytes after fusion with EGFP-expressing cells. In vitro incubation of the 127 recombinant oocytes for approximately 144 hours resulted in successful generation of 65 viable embryos, with an average success rate of 52.1±8.3%. Compared with the traditional SCNT, the method of HMC is not only easy to operate, but also increases the rate of recombinant embryo significantly. Furthermore, the modified method no longer relies on expensive instrument like micromanipulator, facilitating the industrialization of transgenic animal production. PMID:21586400

Sliding friction experiments were conducted with single-crystal silicon carbide in contact with transition metals (tungsten, iron, rhodium, nickel, titanium, and cobalt), copper, and aluminum. Results indicate the coefficient of friction for a silicon carbide-metal system is related to the d bond character and relative chemical activity of the metal. The more active the metal, the higher the coefficient of friction. All the metals examined transferred to the surface of silicon carbide in sliding. The chemical activity of metal to silicon and carbon and shear modulus of the metal may play important roles in metal transfer and the form of the wear debris. The less active and greater resistance to shear the metal has, with the exception of rhodium and tungsten, the less transfer to silicon carbide.

The junction of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operating in the tunneling regime was irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses. A photoexcited hot electron in the STM tip resonantly tunnels into an excited state of a single molecule on the surface, converting it from the neutral to the anion. The electron-transfer rate depends quadratically on the incident laser power, suggesting a two-photon excitation process. This nonlinear optical process is further confirmed by the polarization measurement. Spatial dependence of the electron-transfer rate exhibits atomic-scale variations. A two-pulse correlation experiment reveals the ultrafast dynamic nature of photoinduced charging process in the STM junction. Results from these experiments are important for understanding photoinduced interfacial charge transfer in many nanoscale inorganic-organic structures.

We present the first III-V opto-electronic components transfer printed on and coupled to a silicon photonic integrated circuit. Thin InP-based membranes are transferred to an SOI waveguide circuit, after which a single-spatial-mode broadband light source is fabricated. The process flow to create transfer print-ready coupons is discussed. Aqueous FeCl3 at 5°C was found to be the best release agent in combination with the photoresist anchoring structures that were used. A thin DVS-BCB layer provides a strong bond, accommodating the post-processing of the membranes. The resulting optically pumped LED has a 3 dB bandwidth of 130 nm, comparable to devices realized using a traditional die-to-wafer bonding method. PMID:27410539

Multiple pregnancies stand as the most common adverse outcome of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) and the dangers associated with those pregnancies have been reduced by doing elective single embryo transfers (e-SET). Many studies have shown that e-SET is compatible with a continuously high pregnancy rate per embryo transfer. Yet, it still becomes necessary to improve the selection process in order to define the quality of individual embryos - so that the ones we choose for transfer are more likely to implant. First, analysis of embryo morphology has greatly helped in this identification and remains the most relevant criterion for choosing the embryo. The introduction of time-lapse imaging provides new criteria predictive of implantation potential, but the real contribution of this system - including the benefit/cost ratio - seems to be not yet properly established. In this context, extended culture until blastocyst stage is an essential practice but it appears wise to keep it for a population showing a good prognosis. Then, the failure of aneuploid embryos to implant properly led to achieve preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) in order to increase pregnancy and delivery rates after ART. However, PGS by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) at day 3 is a useless process - and may even be harmful. Another solution involves using comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) and moving to blastocyst biopsy. Finally, it is envisaged that morphology will also be significantly aided by non-invasive analysis of biomarkers in the culture media that give a better reflection of whole-embryo physiology and function. PMID:24951187

Single parent households are on the rise, and female headed households are more likely to live in poverty than other single parent households (Holyfield, 2002). Many single mothers who do not have an undergraduate degree see education as a way out of poverty (Holyfield, 2002; Heller & Bjorklund, 2004). This research was undertaken to highlight…

Rh(II)-catalyzed diversified ring expansions controlled by single-electron-transfer (SET) have been disclosed in this communication, producing a series of indole-fused azetidines and 1H-carbazoles or related derivatives in moderate to good yields via Rh2(III,II) nitrene radical intermediates. The direction of ring expansion branches according to different ring sizes of methylenecycloalkanes. PMID:26548476

Single seed near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy predicts soybean (Glycine max) seed quality traits of moisture, oil, and protein. We tested the accuracy of transferring calibrations between different single seed NIR analyzers of the same design by collecting NIR spectra and analytical trait data for globally diverse soybean germplasm. X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) was used to collect seed density and shape traits to enhance the number of soybean traits that can be predicted from single seed NIR. Partial least-squares (PLS) regression gave accurate predictive models for oil, weight, volume, protein, and maximal cross-sectional area of the seed. PLS models for width, length, and density were not predictive. Although principal component analysis (PCA) of the NIR spectra showed that black seed coat color had significant signal, excluding black seeds from the calibrations did not impact model accuracies. Calibrations for oil and protein developed in this study as well as earlier calibrations for a separate NIR analyzer of the same design were used to test the ability to transfer PLS regressions between platforms. PLS models built from data collected on one NIR analyzer had minimal differences in accuracy when applied to spectra collected from a sister device. Model transfer was more robust when spectra were trimmed from 910 to 1679 nm to 955-1635 nm due to divergence of edge wavelengths between the two devices. The ability to transfer calibrations between similar single seed NIR spectrometers facilitates broader adoption of this high-throughput, nondestructive, seed phenotyping technology. PMID:26771201

The long-term goal of the proposed research is to understand electron transfer dynamics in nanoparticle/liquid interface. This knowledge is essential to many semiconductor nanoparticle based devices, including photocatalytic waste degradation and dye sensitized solar cells.

We describe a method of observing collisions of single femtoliter (fL) oil (i.e., toluene) droplets that are dispersed in water on an ultramicroelectrode (UME) to probe the ion transfer across the oil/water interface. The oil-in-water emulsion was stabilized by an ionic liquid, in which the oil droplet trapped a highly hydrophobic redox probe, rubrene. The ionic liquid also functions as the supporting electrolyte in toluene. When the potential of the UME was biased such that rubrene oxidation would be possible when a droplet collided with the electrode, no current spikes were observed. This implies that the rubrene radical cation is not hydrophilic enough to transfer into the aqueous phase. We show that current spikes are observed when tetrabutylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate or tetrahexylammonium hexafluorophosphate are introduced into the toluene phase and when tetrabutylammonium perchlorate is introduced into the water phase, implying that the ion transfer facilitates electron transfer in the droplet collisions. The current (i)-time (t) behavior was evaluated quantitatively, which indicated the ion transfer is fast and reversible. Furthermore, the size of these emulsion droplets can also be calculated from the electrochemical collision. We further investigated the potential dependence on the electrochemical collision response in the presence of tetrabutylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate in toluene to obtain the formal ion transfer potential of tetrabutylammonium across the toluene/water interface, which was determined to be 0.754 V in the inner potential scale. The results yield new physical insights into the charge balance mechanism in emulsion droplet collisions and indicate that the electrochemical collision technique can be used to probe formal ion transfer potentials between water and solvents with very low (ε < 5) dielectric constants. PMID:27387789

Single-component two-phase systems are envisaged for aerospace thermal control applications: Mechanically Pumped Loops, Vapour Pressure Driven Loops, Capillary Pumped Loops and Loop Heat Pipes. Thermal control applications are foreseen in different gravity environments: Micro-g, reduced-g for Mars or Moon bases, 1-g during terrestrial testing, and hyper-g in rotating spacecraft, during combat aircraft manoeuvres and in systems for outer planets. In the evaporator, adiabatic line and condenser sections of such single-component two-phase systems, the fluid is a mixture of the working liquid (for example ammonia, carbon dioxide, ethanol, or other refrigerants, etc.) and its saturated vapour. Results of two-phase two-component flow and heat transfer research (pertaining to liquid-gas mixtures, e.g. water/air, or argon or helium) are often applied to support research on flow and heat transfer in two-phase single-component systems. The first part of the tutorial updates the contents of two earlier tutorials, discussing various aerospace-related two-phase flow and heat transfer research. It deals with the different pressure gradient constituents of the total pressure gradient, with flow regime mapping (including evaporating and condensing flow trajectories in the flow pattern maps), with adiabatic flow and flashing, and with thermal-gravitational scaling issues. The remaining part of the tutorial qualitatively and quantitatively determines the differences between single- and two-component systems: Two systems that physically look similar and close, but in essence are fully different. It was already elucidated earlier that, though there is a certain degree of commonality, the differences will be anything but negligible, in many cases. These differences (quantified by some examples) illustrates how careful one shall be in interpreting data resulting from two-phase two-component simulations or experiments, for the development of single-component two-phase thermal control

The production of healthy, live, cloned animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) has been hampered by low efficiencies. Significant epigenetic changes must take place to ensure proper chromatin remodeling in SCNT. We hypothesized that exogenous expression of OCT4 in donor fibroblasts prior to its fusion with enucleated oocytes would facilitate SCNT reprogramming. We infected bovine adult fibroblasts with retroviral vectors containing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) only, or the OCT4 gene fused to YFP (YO). We found that development to the blastocyst stage was not different between NT-YFP and NT-YO groups. NT-YFP embryos had the fewest trophoblast cells, measured by numbers of CDX2-positive cells. Fibroblasts expressing OCT4 had reduced levels of histone 3 lysine 9 or 27 trimethylation (H3K9me3 and H3K27me3, respectively). NT-YO blastocysts displayed higher H3K9me3 levels than IVF and NT-YFP embryos; however, they did not have different H3K27me3 levels. Levels of XIST mRNA expression in NT-YO and NT-YF were higher when compared to in vitro-fertilized blastocysts. We observed no differences in the expression of SOX2, NANOG, and CDX2. Although overexpression of OCT4 in donor cells increased H3K9me3 and did not reduce XIST gene expression, we show that a single transcription factor can affect the number of trophectoderm cells in bovine SCNT embryos. PMID:23276226

In this work, we demonstrate, implement and critically assess the capabilities and the limitations of the Transfer Matrix (TM) method to the statistical mechanics of single polymer molecules within their classical models. We first show how the TM can be employed with the help of computers, to provide highly accurate results for the configurational statistics of polymers in theta-conditions. We proceed gradually from simple to complex polymer models, analyzing their statistical properties as we vary the model parameters. In the order of their complexity, the polymer models approached in this work are: (i) the freely jointed chain (FJC); (ii) the freely rotating chain (FRC); (iii) the rotational isomeric state (RIS) model with and without energy parameters; (iv) the continuous rotational potential model (for n-alkanes); (v) an interacting chain model (ICM) with virtual bonds for poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG). The Statistical Mechanics of polymer chains is carried out in both the Helmholtz and Gibbs ensembles, depending on the quantities of interest. In the Helmholtz ensemble the polymer's Green function is generally a function of both the spatial coordinates and orientations of chain bonds. In the Gibbs ensemble its arguments are the bond orientations with respect to an applied external force. This renders the latter ensemble more feasible for an accurate study of the mechanical properties of the mentioned models. We adapt the TM method to study statistical and thermodynamical properties of various models, including: chain end distribution functions, characteristic ratios, mean square radius of gyration, Kuhn length, static structure factor, pair correlation function, force-extension curves, Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies. For all cases, the TM calculations yielded accurate results for all these quantities. Wherever possible, we compared our findings to other results, theoretical or experimental in literature. A great deal of effort was focused on precise

The initial steps of photosynthesis comprise the absorption of sunlight by pigment-protein antenna complexes followed by rapid and highly efficient funneling of excitation energy to a reaction center. In these transport processes, signatures of unexpectedly long-lived coherences have emerged in two-dimensional ensemble spectra of various light-harvesting complexes. Here, we demonstrate ultrafast quantum coherent energy transfer within individual antenna complexes of a purple bacterium under physiological conditions. We find that quantum coherences between electronically coupled energy eigenstates persist at least 400 femtoseconds and that distinct energy-transfer pathways that change with time can be identified in each complex. Our data suggest that long-lived quantum coherence renders energy transfer in photosynthetic systems robust in the presence of disorder, which is a prerequisite for efficient light harvesting. PMID:23788794

This work proposes a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) based probe to study the single-nanoparticle translocation behavior through a silicon nitride (SiNx) solid-state nanopore. The AuNP probe is functionalized with a rhodamine derivative molecule, termed Rhod-DPA, whose fluorescence can be activated in the presence of Cu(2+) due to the binding between Rhod-DPA and Cu(2+). The Cu(2+) triggered configuration change of Rhod-DPA on the probe surface can induce the plasmon resonance energy transfer (PRET) from single AuNPs to the transformed fluorescent molecules, which can be detected by the color change of AuNP probes under dark-field microscopy (DFM) and their scattering spectra recorded on a spectrometer. By analyzing the peak shifts before and after the addition of Cu(2+), evidence of single nanoparticle translocation through the nanopore has been obtained, proving the successful establishment of the tracking strategy. PMID:26936436

Single-excitation dual-color coherent lasing was achieved in a mixed random system of a binary dye and the suspension of gold-silver porous nanowires with plenty of nanogaps. This greatly enhanced the local electromagnetic field in the visible range and guaranteed a low threshold and high Q factor (>10 000) operator for simultaneous dual-color lasing. By tuning the resonance energy transfer process in the stimulated emission, triple output modes (single chartreuse lasing, chartreuse and red dual-color lasing, and single red coherent lasing) were easily obtained. This triple-mode coherent random lasing introduces a new approach to designing multi-functional micro-optoelectronic devices for multi-color speckle-free imaging and interference. PMID:26349545

Developmental competence of oocytes from prepubertal females is lower than those from adult females. Oocyte development competence is positively related to follicular diameter. Most of the follicles of prepubertal goat ovaries are smaller than 3 mm. The aim of this study was to compare oocytes of two follicle sizes (< 3 mm and ≥ 3 mm) from prepubertal goats with oocytes from adult goats in relation to their in vitro production and quality of blastocysts. Oocytes from prepubertal goats were obtained from slaughterhouse ovaries and selected according to the follicle diameter whereas oocytes from adult goats were recovered in vivo by LOPU technique without prior selection of follicle size. COCs were IVM for 27 h, IVF at the conventional conditions with fresh semen and presumptive zygotes were cultured in SOF medium for 8 days. Blastocysts obtained were vitrified and after warming their blastocoele re-expansion and the ploidy by FISH technique were assessed. We found significant differences between blastocysts yield of oocytes recovered from follicles smaller than 3 mm of prepubertal goats compared to those from adult goats (5.45% vs 20. 83%, respectively) however, these differences disappear if oocytes were recovered form large follicles (18.07%). A total of 28 blastocysts were analysed and 96.43% showed mixoploidy. Age did not affect the number of embryos with abnormal ploidy or blastocyst re-expansion after warming. Furthermore, the percentage of diploid blastomeres per embryo was similar in the 3 groups studied, adult, prepubertal from follicles ≥ 3 mm and < 3 mm (68.6%, 80.8% and 73.6%, respectively). In conclusion, IVP of blastocysts coming from follicles larger than 3 mm of goats 45 days old were not different to the blastocysts produced from adult goats, both in terms of quantity and quality. PMID:21295839

We present for the first time detailed investigation of the charge transfer behavior of PbS@CdS core@shell quantum dots (QDs) showing either a single emission peak from the core or intriguing double emission peaks from the core and shell, respectively. A highly non-concentric core@shell structure model was proposed to explain the origin of double emissions from monodisperse QDs. Their charge transfer behavior was investigated by monitoring photoluminescence (PL) intensity variation with the introduction of electron or hole scavengers. It was found that the PL quenching of the PbS core is more efficient than that of the CdS shell, suggesting more efficient charge transfer from the core to scavengers, although the opposite was expected. Further measurements of the PL lifetime followed by wave function calculations disclosed that the time scale is the critical factor explaining the more efficient charge transfer from the core than from the shell. The charge transfer behavior was also examined on a series of single-emission core@shell QDs with either different core sizes or different shell thicknesses and dominant factors were identified. Towards photovoltaic applications, these PbS@CdS QDs were attached onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and their charge transfer behavior was compared with that in the PbS-QD/MWCNT system. Results demonstrate that although the CdS shell serves as an electron transfer barrier, the electrons excited in the PbS cores can still be transferred into the MWCNTs efficiently when the shell thickness is ~0.7 nm. Considering their higher stability, these core@shell QDs are very promising for the development of highly efficient QD-based photovoltaic devices.We present for the first time detailed investigation of the charge transfer behavior of PbS@CdS core@shell quantum dots (QDs) showing either a single emission peak from the core or intriguing double emission peaks from the core and shell, respectively. A highly non-concentric core

Single poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) molecules dispersed in thin poly(methylmethacrylate) films have been investigated by fluorescence emission, excitation and time-resolved spectroscopy at 1.2 K. For the molecular weight studied (∼200 kDa) a bimodal distribution of emission maxima is observed. Based on a comparison of the spectroscopic properties of blue and red sites and on polarisation-resolved measurements, we argue in agreement with recent quantum-chemical calculations that the red subpopulation most probably does not arise from interchromophoric excitation delocalisation but is to be attributed to longer chromophoric units originating from ordered regions of a polymer chain, where due to constraints on the chain conformation larger conjugation lengths can be realised. In excitation spectra within the red spectral region we can identify multiple chromophoric units, among them chromophores without correspondence in the emission spectrum-donors of the intramolecular energy transfer. Zero-phonon lines of donor chromophores proved to be significantly broadened, indicating fast excited-state population decay due to energy transfer. Thus, a distribution of energy transfer times within MEH-PPV chains could be determined from donor zero-phonon line widths, with an average value of 3.9 ps. Our study represents the first direct measurement of energy transfer times in conjugated polymers, parameters that are crucial for the performance of many technical applications based on this class of material. PMID:21472962

There are various quantum chemical approaches for an ab initio description of transfer integrals within the framework of Marcus theory in the context of electron transfer reactions. In our paper, we aim to calculate transfer integrals in redox-active single molecule junctions, where we focus on the coherent tunneling limit with the metal leads taking the position of donor and acceptor and the molecule acting as a transport mediating bridge. This setup allows us to derive a conductance, which can be directly compared with recent results from a nonequilibrium Green's function approach. Compared with purely molecular systems we face additional challenges due to the metallic nature of the leads, which rules out some of the common techniques, and due to their periodicity, which requires k-space integration. We present three different methods, all based on density functional theory, for calculating the transfer integral under these constraints, which we benchmark on molecular test systems from the relevant literature. We also discuss many-body effects and apply all three techniques to a junction with a Ruthenium complex in different oxidation states.

Pregnancy rates from cryopreserved embryos remain lower than non-cryopreserved counterparts, even though these embryos appear morphologically normal. How epigenetic events, such as histone modifications, are affected by cryopreservation of embryos remains unknown. The current study evaluated the effect of conventional freezing/thawing of in vitro produced bovine blastocyst embryos on histone modifications, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3. At day 7 of in vitro culture, blastocyst stage embryos were either frozen by conventional freezing method (-0.5 °C/min in 1.5 M ethylene glycol; F/T group) or remained in culture for an additional 18 h (Ctrl). Frozen embryos were stored in liquid N2 for 14 days, thawed and placed in culture for 36 h for recovery. Control and re-expanded frozen-thawed blastocysts from both groups were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and stored in PBS +0.1% triton-X at 4 °C. Immunofluorescence, utilizing antibodies against H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, was conducted and staining intensity was analyzed as percentage of total DNA. Day 7 blastocyst development rate was 35.55% (352/990) with blastocyst recovery at 54.23% (77/142) 36 h post-thawing. Total cell numbers per blastocyst were not different amongst groups (117.8 ± 12.49 and 116.1 ± 14.69, F/T and Ctrl groups respectively). Global staining for the active mark, H3K4me3, was lower in F/T blastocysts compared to Ctrl (17.24 ± 2.80% vs. 34.95 ± 3.77%; P < 0.01). However, staining for the inhibitory mark, H3K27me3, was nearly 2-fold higher in F/T blastocysts (40.41 ± 3.83% vs. 21.29 ± 3.92%; P < 0.01). These results suggest that bovine blastocysts, subjected to conventional freezing methods, have altered histone modifications that may play a role in poor pregnancy rates. PMID:26408849

In vitro maturation (IVM) of human oocytes is an attractive alternative to conventional assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, as it involves no or minimal ovarian stimulation. Currently, commercialized media specifically designed for IVM are often used. These media are expensive, have limited shelf life, and must be ordered in advance. If standard culture media can be used in place of the specialized IVM media, it would simplify management and make IVM more feasible and more widely employed in ART centers around the world, especially in developing countries where resources are scarce. This study was, therefore, conducted to test the hypothesis that blastocyst medium was as good as commercial IVM medium to support maturation and developmental competence of human immature oocytes as previously shown in the mouse system. Immature oocytes were obtained by needle aspiration from 89 pregnant women during cesarean deliveries between April 2012 and February 2013. Sibling oocytes were allocated to Sage IVM media (512 oocytes) or blastocyst medium (520 oocytes) and assessed for maturation 36 hours later. Mature oocytes were inseminated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and cultured up to 144 hours. There was no difference in maturation rate (65.0% vs 68.7%; P = .218) or fertilization rate (66.9% vs 66.4%; P = .872) of oocytes matured in vitro in both media. There was also no difference in the formation of good-quality blastocysts (46.6% vs 45.9%; P = .889) in the 2 groups. Further study should be done to ascertain implantation and pregnancy potential of these embryos. PMID:25015901

Gangliosides are key lipid molecules required for the regulation of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and cell signaling, including signaling of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has long been considered a potential regulator of meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation in mammalian oocytes. However, there is no report on the direct effect of ganglioside GD1a in porcine oocyte maturation. In this study, we first investigated a functional link between GD1a and meiotic maturation during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine embryos. Moreover, we confirmed the effect of exogenous GD1a treatment on blastocyst development, quality, and fertilization rate in early embryonic development. First, we observed that the protein level of ST3GAL2, a GD1a synthesizing enzyme, significantly increased (P < 0.01) in cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) during IVM progress. The proportion of arrested germinal vesicles (GV) increased in oocytes treated with EGF+GD1a (41.6 ± 1.5%) at the IVM I stage. Upon completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion of metaphase II (M II) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the EGF+GD1a (89.9 ± 3.6%) treated group. After IVF, the percentage of penetrated oocytes was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the EGF+GD1a (89.1 ± 2.3%) treated group than in the control group. Furthermore, exogenous GD1a treatment improved the developmental competence and quality of blastocysts during preimplantation embryo development stage. These results suggest that ganglioside GD1a may play an important role in IVM mechanisms of porcine maturation capacity. Furthermore, our findings will be helpful for better promoting the embryo development and blastocyst quality in pigs. PMID:26860251

Gangliosides are key lipid molecules required for the regulation of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and cell signaling, including signaling of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has long been considered a potential regulator of meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation in mammalian oocytes. However, there is no report on the direct effect of ganglioside GD1a in porcine oocyte maturation. In this study, we first investigated a functional link between GD1a and meiotic maturation during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine embryos. Moreover, we confirmed the effect of exogenous GD1a treatment on blastocyst development, quality, and fertilization rate in early embryonic development. First, we observed that the protein level of ST3GAL2, a GD1a synthesizing enzyme, significantly increased (P < 0.01) in cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) during IVM progress. The proportion of arrested germinal vesicles (GV) increased in oocytes treated with EGF+GD1a (41.6 ± 1.5%) at the IVM I stage. Upon completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion of metaphase II (M II) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the EGF+GD1a (89.9 ± 3.6%) treated group. After IVF, the percentage of penetrated oocytes was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the EGF+GD1a (89.1 ± 2.3%) treated group than in the control group. Furthermore, exogenous GD1a treatment improved the developmental competence and quality of blastocysts during preimplantation embryo development stage. These results suggest that ganglioside GD1a may play an important role in IVM mechanisms of porcine maturation capacity. Furthermore, our findings will be helpful for better promoting the embryo development and blastocyst quality in pigs. PMID:26860251

Although genetically identical for autosomal Chrs (Chr), male and female preimplantation embryos could display sex-specific transcriptional regulation. To illustrate sex-specific differences at the mRNA level, we compared gene-expression patterns between male and female blastocysts by DNA microarray comparison of nine groups of 60 bovine in vitro-produced blastocysts of each sex. Almost one-third of the transcripts detected showed sexual dimorphism (2,921 transcripts; false-discovery rate, P < 0.05), suggesting that in the absence of hormonal influences, the sex Chrs impose an extensive transcriptional regulation upon autosomal genes. Six genes were analyzed by qPCR in in vivo-derived embryos, which displayed similar sexual dimorphism. Ontology analysis suggested a higher global transcriptional level in females and a more active protein metabolism in males. A gene homolog to an X-linked gene involved in network interactions during spliceosome assembly was found in the Y-Chr. Most of the X-linked-expressed transcripts (88.5%) were up-regulated in females, but most of them (70%) exhibited fold-changes lower than 1.6, suggesting that X-Chr inactivation is partially achieved at the blastocyst stage. Almost half of the transcripts up-regulated in female embryos exhibiting more than 1.6-fold change were present in the X-Chr and eight of them were selected to determine a putative paternal imprinting by gene expression comparison with parthenogenetic embryos. Five (BEX, CAPN6, BEX2, SRPX2, and UBE2A) exhibited a higher expression in females than in parthenotes, suggesting that they are predominantly expressed by the paternal inherited X-Chr and that imprinting may increase the transcriptional skew caused by double X-Chr dosage. PMID:20133684

Although genetically identical for autosomal Chrs (Chr), male and female preimplantation embryos could display sex-specific transcriptional regulation. To illustrate sex-specific differences at the mRNA level, we compared gene-expression patterns between male and female blastocysts by DNA microarray comparison of nine groups of 60 bovine in vitro-produced blastocysts of each sex. Almost one-third of the transcripts detected showed sexual dimorphism (2,921 transcripts; false-discovery rate, P < 0.05), suggesting that in the absence of hormonal influences, the sex Chrs impose an extensive transcriptional regulation upon autosomal genes. Six genes were analyzed by qPCR in in vivo-derived embryos, which displayed similar sexual dimorphism. Ontology analysis suggested a higher global transcriptional level in females and a more active protein metabolism in males. A gene homolog to an X-linked gene involved in network interactions during spliceosome assembly was found in the Y-Chr. Most of the X-linked-expressed transcripts (88.5%) were up-regulated in females, but most of them (70%) exhibited fold-changes lower than 1.6, suggesting that X-Chr inactivation is partially achieved at the blastocyst stage. Almost half of the transcripts up-regulated in female embryos exhibiting more than 1.6-fold change were present in the X-Chr and eight of them were selected to determine a putative paternal imprinting by gene expression comparison with parthenogenetic embryos. Five (BEX, CAPN6, BEX2, SRPX2, and UBE2A) exhibited a higher expression in females than in parthenotes, suggesting that they are predominantly expressed by the paternal inherited X-Chr and that imprinting may increase the transcriptional skew caused by double X-Chr dosage. PMID:20133684

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of hyaluronan (HA) during IVM on meiotic maturation, embryonic development, and the quality of oocytes, granulosa cells (GC), and obtained blastocysts. COCs were matured in vitro in control medium and medium with additional 0.035% or 0.07% of exogenous HA. The meiotic maturity did not differ between the analysed groups. The best rate and the highest quality of obtained blastocysts were observed when 0.07% HA was used. A highly significant difference (P < 0.001) was noted in the mean number of apoptotic nuclei per blastocyst and in the DCI between the 0.07% HA and the control blastocysts (P < 0.01). Our results suggest that addition of 0.035% HA and 0.07% HA to oocyte maturation media does not affect oocyte nuclear maturation and DNA fragmentation. However, the addition of 0.07% HA during IVM decreases the level of blastocysts DNA fragmentation. Finally, our results suggest that it may be risky to increase the HA concentration during IVM above 0.07% as we found significantly higher Bax mRNA expression levels in GC cultured with 0.07% HA. The final concentration of HA being supplemented to oocyte maturation media is critical for the success of the IVP procedure. PMID:24689043

We investigated the effect of mechanical stimuli on mouse embryonic development from the 2-cell to blastocyst stage to evaluate physical factors affecting embryonic development. Shear stress (SS) applied to embryos using two mechanical vibration systems (MVSs) was calculated by observing microscopic images of moving embryos during mechanical vibration (MV). The MVSs did not induce any motion of the medium and the diffusion rate using MVSs was the same as that under static conditions. Three days of culture using MVS did not improve embryonic development. MVS transmitted MV power more efficiently to embryos than other systems and resulted in a significant decrease in development to the morula or blastocyst stage after 2 days. Comparison of the results of embryo culture using dynamic culture systems demonstrated that macroscopic diffusion of secreted materials contributes to improved development of mouse embryos to the blastocyst stage. These results also suggest that the threshold of SS and MV to induce negative effects for mouse embryos at stages earlier than the blastocyst may be lower than that for the blastocyst, and that mouse embryos are more sensitive to physical and chemical stimuli than human or pig embryos because of their thinner zona pellucida. PMID:23697534

It was recently shown that null-collision algorithms could lead to grid-free radiative- transfer Monte Carlo algorithms that immediately benefit of computer-graphics tools for an efficient handling of complex geometries [1, 2]. We here explore the idea of extending the approach to heat transfer problems combining radiation, conduction and convection. This is possible as soon as the model can be given the form of a second-kind Fredholm equation. In the following pages, we show that this is quite straightforward at the stationnary limit in the linear case. The oral presentation will provide corresponding simulation examples. Perspectives will then be drawn concerning the extension to non-stationnary cases and non-linear coupling.

Implantation is a complex process which results in fixation of zona pellucida free blastocyst to the maternal uterine endometrium. In the human, it involves progesterone mediated preparation of endometrium, age- and stage-matched development of pre-implantation embryo, and interaction between embryo and endometrium. In the present essay, we present the case to explain why there is a necessity of undertaking multi-level, multi-scale integrative approach to deconstruct the succession process of endometrial development to the climax of implantation. PMID:24342377

Making use of the fact that the collective modes associated with the spontaneous (static and dynamic) violation of gauge invariance in atomic nuclei (pairing rotations and pairing vibrations) are amenable to a simple, quite accurate nuclear structure description (BCS and QRPA respectively), it is possible to quantitatively test the reaction mechanism which is at the basis of two-nucleon transfer reactions, specific probe of pairing in nuclei. With the help of the static and dynamic mean field spectroscopic amplitudes, taking into account successive and simultaneous transfer channels properly corrected because of non-orthogonality effects, as well as describing the associated elastic channels in terms of experimentally determined optical potentials, one obtains absolute, two-particle transfer differential cross sections which provide an overall account of the data within experimental errors. One of the first results connected with such quantitative studies of pairing correlations in nuclei is the observation of phonon mediated pairing in the exotic halo nucleus 11Li, and the associated discovery of a new mechanism to break nuclear gauge symmetry: bootstrap, pigmy-resonance-mediated Cooper pair binding.

We study spin-transfer devices with dynamic magnets characterized by large easy-plane anisotropy. This situation is standard for planar devices where it arises due to the shape anisotropy. Dominating easy-plane anisotropy keeps the motion of the magnetic moment close to the easy plane, with small out-of-plane deviations. As a result, it is possible to approximately describe magnetization vector by the in-plane angle and derive an effective one dimensional equation for that angle in the absence [1] and in the presence [2] of spin-transfer torques. Effective description maps a spin-transfer device problem onto a problem of an ``effective particle'' moving in external potential with variable friction coefficient. The advantage of such a description is that the motion of the effective particle can be qualitatively understood by applying the usual energy conservation and dissipation arguments. We show how the effective description produces analytic results for current induced precession states [3] and predicts unconventional ``stabilization by repulsion'' of static states [2]. // [1] C. J. Garcia-Cervera, Weinan E, J. Appl. Phys. 90, 370 (2001). [2] Ya. B. Bazaliy, Phys. Rev. B 76, 140402(R) (2007). [3] Ya. B. Bazaliy, arXiv:0705.0508, to be published in Appl. Phys. Lett. (2007).

Here, we report the synthesis of a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based probe for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing. The probe contains a fluorescent tricyclic base, 8-amino-3-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)imidazo[4',5':5,6]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine, as a donor molecule and 7-diethylaminocoumarin-3-carboxylic acid as an acceptor molecule. FRET was observed between the donor and acceptor molecules on the probe. The identity of the target bases on DNA and RNA strands could be determined using the probe. PMID:27329795

We demonstrate formation of double layer graphene by means of a double transfer using two single graphene layers grown by a chemical vapor deposition method. It is observed that shiftiness and broadness in the double-resonance of Raman scattering are much weaker than those of bilayer graphene formed naturally. Transport characteristics examined from transmission line measurements and field effect transistors show the similar behavior with those of single layer graphene. It indicates that interlayer separation, in electrical view, is large enough to avoid correlation between layers for the double layer structure. It is also observed from a transistor with the double layer graphene that molecules adsorpted on two inner graphene surfaces in the double layered structure are isolated and conserved from ambient environment. PMID:27455706

Heat-exchanger designers need to know what type of performance improvement can be obtained before they will consider enhanced tubes. In particular, they need access to the heat-transfer coefficients and friction-factor values of enhanced tube types that are commercially available. To compile these data from the numerous publications and reports in the open literature is a formidable task that can discourage the designer from using them. A computer program that contains a comprehensive data base withmore » a search feature would be a handy tool for the designer to obtain an estimate of the performance improvement that can be obtained with a particular enhanced tube geometry. In addition, it would be a valuable tool for researchers who are developing and/or validating new prediction methods. This computer program can be used to obtain friction-factor and/or heat-transfer data for a broad range of internally enhanced tube geometries with forced-convective turbulent flow. The program has search features; that is the user can select data for tubes with a particular enhancement geometry range or data obtained from a particular source or publication. The friction factor data base contains nearly 5,000 points and the heat-transfer data base contains more than 4,700 points. About 360 different tube geometries are included from the 36 different sources. Data for tubes with similar geometries and the same and/or different types can be easily extracted with the sort feature of this data base and compared. Users of the program are heat-exchanger designers, enhanced tubing suppliers, and research organizations or academia who are developing or validating prediction methods.« less

Neutron transfer reactions were performed in inverse kinematics using radioactive ion beams of {sup 132}Sn, {sup 130}Sn, and {sup 134}Te and deuterated polyethylene targets. Preliminary results are presented. The Q-value spectra for {sup 133}Sn, {sup 131}Sn and {sup 135}Te reveal a number of previously unobserved peaks. The angular distributions are compatible with the expected lf{sub 7/2} nature of the ground state of {sup 133}Sn, and 2p{sub 3/2} for the 3.4 MeV state in {sup 131}Sn.

Neutron transfer reactions were performed in inverse kinematics using radioactive ion beams of 132Sn, 130Sn, and 134Te and deuterated polyethylene targets. Preliminary results are presented. The Q-value spectra for 133Sn, 131Sn and 135Te reveal a number of previously unobserved peaks. The angular distributions are compatible with the expected lf7/2 nature of the ground state of 133Sn, and 2p3/2 for the 3.4 MeV state in 131Sn.

There is great interest in genetic modification of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), not only for research purposes but also for use in (autologous) patient-derived-patient-used transplantations. A major drawback of bulk methods for genetic modifications of (stem) cells, like bulk-electroporation, is its limited yield of DNA transfection (typically then 10%). This is even more limited when cells are present at very low numbers, as is the case for stem cells. Here we present an alternative technology to transfect cells with high efficiency (>75%), based on single cell electroporation in a microfluidic device. In a first experiment we show that we can successfully transport propidium iodide (PI) into single mouse myoblastic C2C12 cells. Subsequently, we show the use of this microfluidic device to perform successful electroporation of single mouse myoblastic C2C12 cells and single human MSC with vector DNA encoding a green fluorescent-erk1 fusion protein (EGFP-ERK1 (MAPK3)). Finally, we performed electroporation in combination with live imaging of protein expression and dynamics in response to extracellular stimuli, by fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2). We observed nuclear translocation of EGFP-ERK1 in both cell types within 15 min after FGF-2 stimulation. Due to the successful and promising results, we predict that microfluidic devices can be used for highly efficient small-scale 'genetic modification' of cells, and biological experimentation, offering possibilities to study cellular processes at the single cell level. Future applications might be small-scale production of cells for therapeutic application under controlled conditions. PMID:18094762

An algorithm has been developed for the forced convective diffusion-reaction problem for convection inside and outside a droplet by a recirculating flow field hydrodynamically coupled at the droplet interface with an external flow field that at infinity becomes a uniform streaming flow. The concentration field inside the droplet is likewise coupled with that outside by boundary conditions at the interface. A chemical reaction can take place either inside or outside the droplet or reactions can take place in both phases. The algorithm has been implemented and results are shown here for the case of no reaction and for the case of an external first order reaction, both for unsteady behavior. For pure interphase mass transfer, concentration isocontours, local and average Sherwood numbers, and average droplet concentrations have been obtained as a function of the physical properties and external flow field. For mass transfer enhanced by an external reaction, in addition to the above forms of results, we present the enhancement factor, with the results now also depending upon the (dimensionless) rate of reaction.

An algorithm has been developed for time-dependent forced convective diffusion-reaction having convection by a recirculating flow field within the drop that is hydrodynamically coupled at the interface with a convective external flow field that at infinity becomes a uniform free-streaming flow. The concentration field inside the droplet is likewise coupled with that outside by boundary conditions at the interface. A chemical reaction can take place either inside or outside the droplet, or reactions can take place in both phases. The algorithm has been implemented, and for comparison results are shown here for the case of no reaction in either phase and for the case of an external first order reaction, both for unsteady behavior. For pure interphase mass transfer, concentration isocontours, local and average Sherwood numbers, and average droplet concentrations have been obtained as a function of the physical properties and external flow field. For mass transfer enhanced by an external reaction, in addition to the above forms of results, we present the enhancement factor, with the results now also depending upon the (dimensionless) rate of reaction.

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has been used to pre-condition embryos before essential, yet potentially detrimental procedures such as cryopreservation. However, the mechanisms for HHP are poorly understood. We treated bovine blastocysts with three different HHP (40, 60 and 80 MPa) in combination with three recovery periods (0, 1 h, 2 h post HHP). Re-expansion rates were significantly higher at 40 and 60 but lower at 80 MPa after vitrification-warming in the treated groups than controls. Microarray analysis revealed 399 differentially expressed transcripts, representing 254 unique genes, among different groups. Gene ontology analysis indicated that HHP at 40 and 60 MPa promoted embryo competence through down-regulation of genes in cell death and apoptosis, and up-regulation of genes in RNA processing, cellular growth and proliferation. In contrast, 80 MPa up-regulated genes in apoptosis, and down-regulated protein folding and cell cycle-related genes. Moreover, gene expression was also influenced by the length of the recovery time after HHP. The significantly over-represented categories were apoptosis and cell death in the 1 h group, and protein folding, response to unfolded protein and cell cycle in the 2 h group compared to 0 h. Taken together, HHP promotes competence of vitrified bovine blastocysts through modest transcriptional changes. PMID:26883277

Parthenogenetic embryos are one attractive alternative as a source of embryonic stem cells, although many aspects related to the biology of parthenogenetic embryos and parthenogenetically derived cell lines still need to be elucidated. The present work was conducted to investigate the gene expression profile of rabbit parthenote embryos cultured under in vivo conditions using microarray analysis. Transcriptomic profiles indicate 2541 differentially expressed genes between parthenotes and normal in vivo fertilised blastocysts, of which 76 genes were upregulated and 16 genes downregulated in in vivo cultured parthenote blastocyst, using 3 fold-changes as a cut-off. While differentially upregulated expressed genes are related to transport and protein metabolic process, downregulated expressed genes are related to DNA and RNA binding. Using microarray data, 6 imprinted genes were identified as conserved among rabbits, humans and mice: GRB10, ATP10A, ZNF215, NDN, IMPACT and SFMBT2. We also found that 26 putative genes have at least one member of that gene family imprinted in other species. These data strengthen the view that a large fraction of genes is differentially expressed between parthenogenetic and normal embryos cultured under the same conditions and offer a new approach to the identification of imprinted genes in rabbit. PMID:23251477

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has been used to pre-condition embryos before essential, yet potentially detrimental procedures such as cryopreservation. However, the mechanisms for HHP are poorly understood. We treated bovine blastocysts with three different HHP (40, 60 and 80 MPa) in combination with three recovery periods (0, 1 h, 2 h post HHP). Re-expansion rates were significantly higher at 40 and 60 but lower at 80 MPa after vitrification-warming in the treated groups than controls. Microarray analysis revealed 399 differentially expressed transcripts, representing 254 unique genes, among different groups. Gene ontology analysis indicated that HHP at 40 and 60 MPa promoted embryo competence through down-regulation of genes in cell death and apoptosis, and up-regulation of genes in RNA processing, cellular growth and proliferation. In contrast, 80 MPa up-regulated genes in apoptosis, and down-regulated protein folding and cell cycle-related genes. Moreover, gene expression was also influenced by the length of the recovery time after HHP. The significantly over-represented categories were apoptosis and cell death in the 1 h group, and protein folding, response to unfolded protein and cell cycle in the 2 h group compared to 0 h. Taken together, HHP promotes competence of vitrified bovine blastocysts through modest transcriptional changes. PMID:26883277

This study was designed to compare the efficiency of the Cryotop method and that of two methods that employ a micro volume air cooling (MVAC) device by analyzing the survival and development of bovine oocytes and blastocysts vitrified using each method. In experiment I, in vitro-matured (IVM) oocytes were vitrified using an MVAC device without direct contact with liquid nitrogen (LN2; MVAC group) or directly plunged into LN2 (MVAC in LN2 group). A third group of IVM oocytes was vitrified using a Cryotop device (Cryotop group). After warming, vitrified oocytes were fertilized in vitro. There were no significant differences in cleavage and blastocyst formation rates among the three vitrified groups, with the rates ranging from 53.1% to 56.6% and 20.0% to 25.5%, respectively; however, the rates were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of the fresh control group (89.3% and 43.3%, respectively) and the solution control group (87.3% and 42.0%, respectively). In experiment II, in vitro-produced (IVP) expanded blastocysts were vitrified using the MVAC, MVAC in LN2 and Cryotop methods, warmed and cultured for survival analysis and then compared with the solution control group. The rate of development of vitrified-warmed expanded blastocysts to the hatched blastocyst stage after 24 h of culture was lower in the MVAC in LN2 group than in the solution control group; however, after 48–72 h of culture, the rates did not significantly differ between the groups. These results indicate that the MVAC method without direct LN2 contact is as effective as the standard Cryotop method for vitrification of bovine IVM oocytes and IVP expanded blastocysts. PMID:26119929

The present study was designed to extensively characterize cell lines derived from porcine blastocysts by several methodical approaches, including morphological observation, cytogenetic analysis, estimation of alkaline phosphatase activity and detection of specific marker expression at the mRNA/protein level. A comparison was made between the properties of cell lines isolated from in vivo- and in vitro-obtained blastocysts. Our results showed that 57.1% of the in vivo-obtained blastocysts attached to the feeder layer and that 33.3% of them started to grow in a monolayer. The percentage of attached in vitro-produced blastocysts was lower (24.6%), and only 6.9% of them started to grow. Outgrowths from the in vitro-produced blastocysts formed mainly trophectoderm or epithelial-like monolayer, whereas the in vivo-obtained blastocysts formed heterogeneous outgrowths that also contained cells with embryonic stem (ES)-like morphology. Detailed analyses showed that the primary outgrowths with ES-like morphology expressed the pluripotency markers OCT-4 and NANOG and revealed intensive alkaline phosphatase staining, while they did not express markers of differentiation. The majority of passaged cells, including those with ES-like morphology, lacked OCT-4 protein and revealed expression of specific differentiation markers (cytokeratin 18, lamins A/C, transferrin, α-fetoprotein and GATA-4), although they still expressed NANOG and exhibited weak alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, these cells spontaneously differentiated into neural, fibroblast or epithelial-like cells, even in the presence of leukaemia inhibitory factor. Our results show that complex analysis of markers of pluripotency as well as differentiation markers is necessary for proper interpretation of data in porcine embryonic stem cell studies. PMID:21685711

The effects of α-linolenic acid (ALA) on developmental competence of oocytes in goats were evaluated in this study. Initially, the level of ALA in small and large antral follicles was determined to be in a range of 0.018-0.028 mg/ml (64.6-100.6 μM, respectively). In vitro maturation was performed in the presence of various concentrations (10, 50, 100, or 200 μM) of ALA. Cumulus expansion, meiotic maturation, levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH), embryonic cleavage, blastocyst formation following parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), number of total and apoptotic cells in blastocyst, and expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 genes in blastocyst cells were determined. Compared with the control, no improvement was observed in cumulus expansion in ALA-treated groups. At 50 μM concentration, ALA increased meiotic maturation rate but had no effect on GSH level. When oocytes treated with 50 μM ALA were subsequently used for PA or IVF, a higher rate of blastocyst formation was observed, and these embryos had a higher total cell number and a lower apoptotic cell number. Expression analyses of genes in blastocysts revealed lesser transcript abundances for Bax gene, and higher transcript abundances for Bcl-2 gene in 50 μM ALA group. Expression of p53 gene was also less observed in ALA-treated blastocysts. Our results show that ALA treatment at 50 μM during in vitro maturation (IVM) had a beneficial effect on maturation of goat oocytes and this, in turn, stimulated embryonic development and regulated apoptotic gene expression. PMID:26584822

Hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is a well established method for the measurement of solution-phase deuterium incorporation into proteins, which can provide insight into protein conformational mobility. However, most HDX measurements are constrained to regions of the protein where pepsin proteolysis allows detection at peptide resolution. Recently, single-amide resolution deuterium incorporation has been achieved by limiting gas-phase scrambling in the mass spectrometer. This was accomplished by employing a combination of soft ionization and desolvation conditions coupled with the radical-driven fragmentation technique electron transfer dissociation (ETD). Here, a hybrid LTQ-Orbitrap XL is systematically evaluated for its utility in providing single-amide deuterium incorporation for differential HDX analysis of a nuclear receptor upon binding small molecule ligands. We are able to show that instrumental parameters can be optimized to minimize scrambling and can be incorporated into an established and fully automated HDX platform making differential single-amide HDX possible for bottom-up analysis of complex systems. We have applied this system to determine differential single amide resolution HDX data for the peroxizome proliferator activated receptor bound with two ligands of interest.

Self-consistent charge-density functional tight-binding SCC-DFTB is a computationally efficient method applicable to large (bio)molecular systems in which (bio)chemical reactions may occur. Among these reactions are proton transfer processes. This method, along with more advanced ab initio techniques, is applied in this study to compute intramolecular barriers for single and double proton transfer processes in the model systems, malonaldehyde and porphycene, respectively. SCC-DFTB is compared with experimental data and higher-level ab initio calculations. For malonaldehyde, the SCC-DFTB barrier height is 3.1 kcal/mol in vacuo and 4.2 kcal/mol in water solution. In the case of porphycene, the minimum energy pathways for double intramolecular proton transfer were determined using the conjugate peak refinement (CPR) method. Six isomers of porphycene were ordered according to energy. The only energetically allowed pathway was found to connect two symmetrical trans states via an unstable cis-A isomer. The SCC-DFTB barrier heights are 11.1 kcal/mol for the trans-cis-A process, and 7.4 kcal/mol for the reverse cis-A-trans one with the energy difference of 3.7 kcal/mol between the trans- and cis-A states. The method provides satisfactory energy results when compared with reference ab initio and experimental data.

We examine exciton recombination, energy-, and charge transfer in multilayer CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) on silver plasmonic resonators using photoluminescence (PL) and excitation spectroscopy along with kinetic modeling and simulations. The exciton dynamics including all the processes are strongly affected by the separation distance between QDs and silver resonators, excitation wavelength, and QD film thickness. For a direct contact or very small distance, interfacial charge transfer and tunneling dominate over intrinsic radiative recombination and exciton energy transfer to surface plasmons (SPs), resulting in PL suppression. With increasing distance, however, tunneling diminishes dramatically, while long-range exciton-SP coupling takes place much faster (>6.5 ns) than intrinsic recombination (~200 ns) causing considerable PL enhancement. The exciton-SP coupling strength shows a strong dependence on excitation wavelengths, suggesting the state-specific dynamics of excitons and the down-conversion of surface plasmons involved. The overlayers as well as the bottom monolayer of QD multilayers exhibit significant PL enhancement mainly through long-range exciton-SP coupling. The overall emission behaviors from single- and multilayer QD films on silver resonators are described quantitatively by a photophysical kinetic model and simulations. The present experimental and simulation results provide important and useful design rules for QD-based light harvesting applications using the exciton-surface plasmon coupling. PMID:27184469

We examine exciton recombination, energy-, and charge transfer in multilayer CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) on silver plasmonic resonators using photoluminescence (PL) and excitation spectroscopy along with kinetic modeling and simulations. The exciton dynamics including all the processes are strongly affected by the separation distance between QDs and silver resonators, excitation wavelength, and QD film thickness. For a direct contact or very small distance, interfacial charge transfer and tunneling dominate over intrinsic radiative recombination and exciton energy transfer to surface plasmons (SPs), resulting in PL suppression. With increasing distance, however, tunneling diminishes dramatically, while long-range exciton-SP coupling takes place much faster (>6.5 ns) than intrinsic recombination (~200 ns) causing considerable PL enhancement. The exciton-SP coupling strength shows a strong dependence on excitation wavelengths, suggesting the state-specific dynamics of excitons and the down-conversion of surface plasmons involved. The overlayers as well as the bottom monolayer of QD multilayers exhibit significant PL enhancement mainly through long-range exciton-SP coupling. The overall emission behaviors from single- and multilayer QD films on silver resonators are described quantitatively by a photophysical kinetic model and simulations. The present experimental and simulation results provide important and useful design rules for QD-based light harvesting applications using the exciton-surface plasmon coupling.

The number of embryos transferred after in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been a topic of debate for over a decade now. Due to the risk associated with multiple pregnancy, there has been a global effort at reducing the multiple pregnancy rates to a minimum while maintaining an acceptable level of successful IVF pregnancy rate. Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) is advocated in most European countries. In Belgium and Sweden, eSET is mandatory for couples with a good prognosis. However, despite clinical recommendations and policy statements, patients in clinical practice frequently do request for the transfer of multiple embryos in order to have twins. Such requests conflict with policy guidelines and create an ethical dilemma for physicians: Should the physician do as the couple requests, and there with respect the autonomy of patients, or adhere to medical policy that takes the health of the mother and children at heart? This article provides an exploration of the arguments found in the literature that plays a role in the discussion on this topic and eventually argues that what a physician should do depends on the specificities of the context in which patients and physicians are implicated. These contextual issues can be taken into account in a shared decision-making procedure, which allows reflections and the responsibilities of both patients and physicians to be attended in decision about assisted reproduction. PMID:25745568

The number of embryos transferred after in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been a topic of debate for over a decade now. Due to the risk associated with multiple pregnancy, there has been a global effort at reducing the multiple pregnancy rates to a minimum while maintaining an acceptable level of successful IVF pregnancy rate. Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) is advocated in most European countries. In Belgium and Sweden, eSET is mandatory for couples with a good prognosis. However, despite clinical recommendations and policy statements, patients in clinical practice frequently do request for the transfer of multiple embryos in order to have twins. Such requests conflict with policy guidelines and create an ethical dilemma for physicians: Should the physician do as the couple requests, and there with respect the autonomy of patients, or adhere to medical policy that takes the health of the mother and children at heart? This article provides an exploration of the arguments found in the literature that plays a role in the discussion on this topic and eventually argues that what a physician should do depends on the specificities of the context in which patients and physicians are implicated. These contextual issues can be taken into account in a shared decision-making procedure, which allows reflections and the responsibilities of both patients and physicians to be attended in decision about assisted reproduction. PMID:25745568

We examine exciton recombination, energy-, and charge transfer in multilayer CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) on silver plasmonic resonators using photoluminescence (PL) and excitation spectroscopy along with kinetic modeling and simulations. The exciton dynamics including all the processes are strongly affected by the separation distance between QDs and silver resonators, excitation wavelength, and QD film thickness. For a direct contact or very small distance, interfacial charge transfer and tunneling dominate over intrinsic radiative recombination and exciton energy transfer to surface plasmons (SPs), resulting in PL suppression. With increasing distance, however, tunneling diminishes dramatically, while long-range exciton-SP coupling takes place much faster (>6.5 ns) than intrinsic recombination (~200 ns) causing considerable PL enhancement. The exciton-SP coupling strength shows a strong dependence on excitation wavelengths, suggesting the state-specific dynamics of excitons and the down-conversion of surface plasmons involved. The overlayers as well as the bottom monolayer of QD multilayers exhibit significant PL enhancement mainly through long-range exciton-SP coupling. The overall emission behaviors from single- and multilayer QD films on silver resonators are described quantitatively by a photophysical kinetic model and simulations. The present experimental and simulation results provide important and useful design rules for QD-based light harvesting applications using the exciton-surface plasmon coupling. PMID:27184469

In this study, we report our effort to realize high performance single emissive layer three color white phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) through sequential Dexter energy transfer of blue, green and red dopants. The PHOLEDs had a structure of; ITO(1500 Å)/NPB(700 Å)/mCP:Firpic-x%:Ir(ppy)3-0.5%:Ir(piq)3-y%(300 Å)/TPBi(300 Å)/Liq(20 Å)/Al(1200 Å). The dopant concentrations of FIrpic, Ir(ppy)3 and Ir(piq)3 were adjusted and optimized to facilitate the preferred energy transfer processes attaining both the best luminous efficiency and CIE color coordinates. The presence of a deep trapping center for charge carriers in the emissive layer was confirmed by the observed red shift in electroluminescent spectra. White PHOLEDs, with phosphorescent dopant concentrations of FIrpic-8.0%:Ir(ppy)3-0.5%:Ir(piq)3-0.5% in the mCP host of the single emissive layer, had a maximum luminescence of 37,810 cd/m2 at 11 V and a luminous efficiency of 48.10 cd/A at 5 V with CIE color coordinates of (0.35, 0.41).

Ex vivo expansion of CD8+ T-cells has been a hindrance for the success of adoptive T cell transfer in clinic. Currently, preconditioning with chemotherapy is used to modulate the patient immunity before ACT, however, the tumor microenvironment beneficial for transferring T cells may also be damaged. Here preconditioning with single low dose of doxorubicin or paclitaxel combined with fewer CD8+ T-cells was investigated to verify whether the same therapeutic efficacy of ACT could be achieved. An E.G7/OT1 animal model that involved adoptive transfer of OVA-specific CD8+ T-cells transduced with a granzyme B promoter-driven firefly luciferase and tomato fluorescent fusion reporter gene was used to evaluate this strategy. The result showed that CD8+ T-cells were activated and sustained longer in mice pretreated with one low-dose Dox or Tax. Enhanced therapeutic efficacy was found in Dox or Tax combined with 2×106 CD8+ T-cells and achieved the same level of tumor growth inhibition as that of 5×106 CD8+ T-cells group. Notably, reduced numbers of Tregs and myeloid derived suppressor cells were shown in combination groups. By contrast, the number of tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes and IL-12 were increased. The NF-κB activity and immunosuppressive factors such as TGF-β, IDO, CCL2, VEGF, CCL22, COX-2 and IL-10 were suppressed. This study demonstrates that preconditioning with single low dose Dox or Tax and combined with two fifth of the original CD8+ T-cells could improve the tumor microenvironment via suppression of NF-κB and its related immunosuppressors, and activate more CD8+ T-cells which also stay longer. PMID:26683520

Purpose: Cerenkov light is generated when a charged particles with energy greater then 250 keV, moves faster than the speed of light in a given medium. Both x-ray photons and electrons produce optical Cerenkov photons during the static megavoltage linear accelerator (LINAC) operational mode. Recently, Cerenkov radiation gained considerable interest as possible candidate as a new imaging modality. Optical signals generated by Cerenkov radiation may act as a surrogate for the absorbed superficial radiation dose. We demonstrated a novel single point dosimetry method for megavoltage photon and electron therapy utilizing down conversion of Cerenkov photons. Methods: The custom build signal characterization system was used: a sample holder (probe) with adjacent light tight compartments was connected via fiber-optic cables to a photon counting photomultiplier tube (PMT). One compartment contains a medium only while the other contains medium and red-shifting nano-particles (Q-dots, nanoclusters). By taking the difference between the two signals (Cerenkov photons and CRET photons) we obtain a measure of the down-converted light, which we expect to be proportional to dose as measured with an adjacent ion chamber. Experimental results are compared to Monte Carlo simulations performed using the GEANT4 code. Results: The signal correlation between CR signal, CRET readings and dose produced by LINAC at a single point were investigated. The experimental results were compared with simulations. The dose linearity, signal to noise ratio and dose rate dependence were tested with custom build CRET based probe. Conclusion: Performance characteristics of the proposed single point CRET based probe were evaluated. The direct use of the induced Cerenkov emission and CRET in an irradiated single point volume as an indirect surrogate for the imparted dose was investigated. We conclude that CRET is a promising optical based dosimetry method that offers advantages over those already proposed.

Success of embryo transfer is often a limiting factor in transgenic procedures and rederivation efforts, and depends on the genetic background of the donor and recipient strains used. Here we show that embryo transfer to DBA/2J females is possible, and present data on pre- and postnatal success rates after reciprocal embryo transfer using the inbred DBA/2J and C3H/HeN, and outbred NMRI strains. The highest embryo yield was achieved in outbred NMRI females, but embryo yields were similar in DBA/2J and C3H/HeN mice following superovulation despite poor estrus cycle synchronization in DBA/2J females. In-strain transfer of DBA/2J blastocysts (transfer of embryos to recipients from the same strain) resulted in pregnancy rates (57.1%) similar to those obtained following in-strain transfer of C3H/HeN (60.0%) and NMRI mice (83.3%), although the prenatal survival rate of blastocysts was low. Moreover, from the pups born only half survived the postnatal period after transfer of DBA/2J and C3H/HeN blastocysts to DBA/2J recipients. These problems were not observed when transferring NMRI-blastocysts to C3H/HeN and DBA/2J mothers. The number of blastocyststransferred also had a positive effect on the success of embryo transfer. In conclusion, C3H/HeN and DBA/2J females can be used as recipients for embryo transfer procedures for certain donor strains like NMRI, as one major determinant seems to be the genetic background of the embryos transferred. We also recommend to increase the number of DBA/2J blastocyststransferred, and to foster the DBA/2J pups to other DBA/2J mothers postnatally for in-strain transfer of DBA/2J mice. PMID:22401828

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology is a novel research area in the charging technology that bridges utility and the automotive industries. There are various solutions that are currently being evaluated by several research teams to find the most efficient way to manage the power flow from the grid to the vehicle energy storage system. There are different control parameters that can be utilized to compensate for the change in the impedance. To understand the power flow through the system this paper presents a novel approach to the system model and the impact of different control parameters on the load power. The implementation of an active front-end rectifier on the grid side for power factor control and voltage boost capability for load power regulation is also discussed.

Time-resolved scanning Kerr microscopy (TRSKM) has been used to examine the effect of nonlocal spin transfer torque (NL-STT) within a two-terminal current perpendicular-to-plane nonlocal spin valve. A combination of Oersted field and NL-STT was used to excite and control the magnetization dynamics. By comparison with a macrospin model, the strength of the NL-STT was quantified and found to be comparable to that achieved by direct injection of spin-polarized current. The sensitivity of the magneto-optical probe to small out-of-plane deflections of the magnetization also allows the NL-STT to be quantified in quasi-dc measurements, greatly simplifying the investigation of STT phenomena.

Graphene-based nano-structures have been recently proposed to function as additives to improve the conductivity of thermally sluggish phase change materials (PCMs). Based on the existing research studies, the improvement is dependent not only on the matrix material, but also on the geometry of the carbon structure. To gain more insight into the nano-scale thermal transport problem, we launched the current pilot research using water as the matrix material, to represent the hydroxyl-group-rich sugar alcohols as PCMs. We have found that the heat conduction across a graphene layer to water is much faster than the heat conduction to the graphene layer itself. Also, the high graphene-water thermal contact resistance fails to acknowledge the fast thermal kinetics of the low frequency phonons. In the investigation of the geometry effect, the cross-plane heat transfer coefficient is found to decrease with decreasing CNT diameter except CNT(9,9). PMID:26818392

Cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) form an important redox pair for understanding interprotein electron transfer (ET). Measurements of ET rates from photoexcited CcP substituted with Zn porphyrin to either yeast Fe(III)Cc or horse Fe(III)Cc in crystals reveal that the molecular associations found in the respective crystal structures determine solution reactivity. Similar forward rates for yeast isozyme-1 Cc (yCc) and yCc homologue horse Cc (hCc), despite different orientations relative to CcP, suggest small-amplitude conformational gating of ET even in the crystalline state; faster back ET in the yCc compared to the hCc complex agrees with the relative coupling between redox sites predicted by the structures.

We demonstrate the use of single-molecule spectroscopy to study enzyme conformational motions of T4 lysozyme under hydrolysis reaction of the polysaccharide walls of E. Coli B cells.By attaching a donoracceptor pair of dye molecules site-specifically to noninterfering sites on the enzyme, the hinge-bending motions of the enzyme are measured by monitoring the donor-acceptor emission intensity as a function of time. The overall enzymatic reaction rate constants are found to vary widely from molecule to molecule. The dominant contribution to this static inhomogeneity is attributed to enzyme searching for reactive sites on the substrate.

An experimental investigation of thermal radiation from the flame of a single tubular turbojet-engine combustor to the combustor liner is presented. The effects of combustor inlet-air pressure, air mass flow, and fuel-air ratio on the radiant intensity and the temperature and emissivity of the flame are reported. The total radiation of the "luminous" flames (containing incandescent soot particles) was much greater (4 to 21 times) than the "nonluminous" molecular radiation. The intensity of radiation from the flame increased rapidly with an increase in combustor inlet-air pressure; it was affected to a lesser degree by variations in fuel-air ratio and air mass flow.

The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of calcium ionophore activation on blastocyst production following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in in vitro-matured Caprine oocytes. A total of 470 in vitro-matured oocytes were selected and randomly divided in to three groups. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) recovered by slicing the Caprine ovaries were matured in TCM199 supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS) + 10% follicular fluid + FSH (5 μg/ml) + LH (10 μg/ml) + estradiol (1 μg/ml) + EGF (10 ng/ml) + BSA (3 mg/ml) for 27 h in humidified atmosphere at 38.5°C with 5% CO2 in CO2 incubator. After 27 h of culture, selected COCs (n = 470) were separated from cumulus cells by treating with 0.1% hyaluronidase enzyme and passing repeatedly through a fine pipette and randomly divided into three groups. In group 1, (n = 168) matured oocytes were injected with injection micropipette without sperm as control. In group 2, (n = 152) capacitated spermatozoa were injected into cytoplasm of in vitro-matured oocytes through injection micropipette. In group 3, (n = 150) capacitated spermatozoa were injected into cytoplasm of in vitro-matured oocytes through injection micropipette and then activated with 5 μm Ca ionophore for 5 min. The oocytes of all groups were then culture in RVCL media for embryo development. The cleavage rate was observed after 48-72 h of injection. The cleavage rate and blastocyst production in group 1, 2 and 3 were 0.00 and 0.00, 18.42 and 3.57 and 61.33% and 16.30%, respectively. The result indicated that mechanical activation failed to induce cleavage in in vitro-matured Caprine oocytes, whereas chemical activation of intracytoplasmic sperm-injected in vitro-matured Caprine oocytes showed significantly higher cleavage rate and blastocyst production as compare to non-activated oocytes. PMID:27170442

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the relationship between survival rates and ultrastructural appearance, using the freeze-replica technique, of bovine blastocysts after vitrification. In experiment 1, blastocysts obtained from in vitro-matured and in vitro-fertilized (IVM-IVF) bovine oocytes were either equilibrated in a stepwise manner in a vitrification solution (VS; 22.5% glycerol + 22.5% 1,2-propanediol) using 16 steps for 18 min in total (the 16-step method) or equilibrated with 10% glycerol + 20% 1,2-propanediol for 10 min and then exposed to VS (the 2-step method). The blastocysts were then vitrified by plunging them into liquid nitrogen. All samples were subsequently thawed in a water bath at 37 degrees C and cultured in vitro with a monolayer of cumulus cells. The survival rate obtained for blastocysts equilibrated by the 16-step method was 83.3% (25/30). In contrast, no blastocysts survived by the 2-step method (0/30). In experiment 2, freeze-replica observations were carried out on blastocysts vitrified by the 16-step method and the 2-step method. In all the blastocysts, no ice crystals were observed in the cytoplasm, blastocoelic cavity, or extracellular areas, which confirmed the occurrence of complete vitrification. Little ultrastructural change was observed in the plasma membrane of the blastocysts equilibrated by the 16-step method. In contrast, small vesicles and distinct intramembrane particle (IMP) aggregation were frequently observed in the plasma membranes of blastocysts equilibrated by the 2-step method. These results indicate that the successful cryopreservation of blastocysts following the 16-step equilibration requires not only complete vitrification, but also minimization of ultrastructural damage to the plasma membrane. PMID:7988150

The energy consumption of a fermenter constitutes a major part of the operating expense of a single cell protein process. A low-pressure airlift fermenter was designed to reduce this cost. In this new design, the fermenter broth is kept below 120 cm in depth, and air alone is employed to fulfil the need of supplying oxygen, and cooling and agitating the broth. The use of low-pressure air from air blowers instead of air compressors lowers the capital cost of air delivery and reduces the energy consumption in the fermenter section to below 1 kWh/kg protein, a saving of over 70% as compared to a conventional stirred tank fermenter. It also eliminates the investment of mechanical agitators, heat exchangers, and air compressors. Sulfite oxidation studies confirmed the design concepts. 30 references.

In vivo-matured mouse oocytes were enucleated, and a single murine embryonic fibroblast (control or reprogrammed by introducing extracts from murine testis tissue, which showed expression of male germ cell-specific genes) was injected into the cytoplasm of the oocytes. The rate of blastocyst development and expression levels of Oct-4, Eomes and Cdx-2 were not significantly different in both experimental groups. However, the expression levels of Nanog, Sox9 and Glut-1 were significantly increased when reprogrammed cells were used as donor nuclei. Increased expression of Nanog can be supportive of complete reprogramming of somatic cell nuclear transfer murine embryos. The present study suggested that donor cells expressing male germ cell-specific genes can be reconstructed and can develop into embryos with normal high expression of developmentally essential genes. PMID:26369430

Efficient isolation of embryonic stem (ES) cells from pre-implantation porcine embryos has remained a challenge. Here, we describe the derivation of porcine embryonic stem-like cells (pESLCs) by seeding the isolated inner cell mass (ICM) from in vitro-produced porcine blastocyst into α-MEM with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The pESL cells kept the normal karyotype and displayed flatten clones, similar in phenotype to human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) and rodent epiblast stem cells. These cells exhibited alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and expressed pluripotency markers such as OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81 as determined by both immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. Additionally, these cells formed embryoid body (EB), teratomas and also differentiated into 3 germ layers in vitro and in vivo. Microarray analysis showed the expression of the pluripotency markers, PODXL, REX1, SOX2, KLF5 and NR6A1, was significantly higher compared with porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEF), but expression of OCT4, TBX3, REX1, LIN28A and DPPA5, was lower compared to the whole blastocysts or ICM of blastocyst. Our results showed that porcine embryonic stem-like cells can be established from in vitro-produced blastocyst-stage embryos, which promote porcine naive ES cells to be established. PMID:27173828

Kunming mice are widely used in China; however, it is difficult to isolate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in conventional derivation condition containing feeder cells and serum. 6-Bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO), a glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) inhibitor, could facilitate the maintenance of pluripotency of ESCs. Therefore, BIO could be considered as a candidate to replace feeder cells and serum. On the other hand, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an important technology in assisted reproduction. It is reported that there was some difference in gene expression between IVF and in vivo developed blastocyst. ESCs derived from IVF blastocyst could provide a valuable tool to research the effect of IVF on differentiation and development. In the present study, we established two novel ESC lines from IVF blastocyst of Kunming mice in a feeder- and serum-free condition containing 2.5 μM BIO. In this condition, expanded IVF blastocyst could spontaneously hatch from zonae pellucidae and attached to the gelatin-coated bottom of dishes. ESC-like outgrowth could be observed without overfull trophoblast cells. After further propagation, two Kunming mice ESC lines, designated as KMES1 and KMES2, were obtained. These two novel ESCs shared common morphological characteristics with other rodent ESCs, showed strong alkaline phosphatase activity, and expressed pluripotent markers, including Oct-4, Nanog, and SSEA-1. Embryoid body (EB) and teratoma test indicated that these ESCs could spontaneously differentiate into cells representative of all three embryonic germ layers. PMID:25592083

Efficient isolation of embryonic stem (ES) cells from pre-implantation porcine embryos has remained a challenge. Here, we describe the derivation of porcine embryonic stem-like cells (pESLCs) by seeding the isolated inner cell mass (ICM) from in vitro-produced porcine blastocyst into α-MEM with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The pESL cells kept the normal karyotype and displayed flatten clones, similar in phenotype to human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) and rodent epiblast stem cells. These cells exhibited alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and expressed pluripotency markers such as OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81 as determined by both immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. Additionally, these cells formed embryoid body (EB), teratomas and also differentiated into 3 germ layers in vitro and in vivo. Microarray analysis showed the expression of the pluripotency markers, PODXL, REX1, SOX2, KLF5 and NR6A1, was significantly higher compared with porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEF), but expression of OCT4, TBX3, REX1, LIN28A and DPPA5, was lower compared to the whole blastocysts or ICM of blastocyst. Our results showed that porcine embryonic stem-like cells can be established from in vitro-produced blastocyst-stage embryos, which promote porcine naive ES cells to be established. PMID:27173828

Single-nanoparticle collisions were observed on an n-type silicon electrode (600 μm diameter) passivated by a thin layer of amorphous TiO2, where the current steps occurred by tunneling electron transfer. The observed collision frequency was in reasonable agreement with that predicted from theory. The isolated electrode, after a collision experiment, with a Pt/TiO2/n-Si architecture was shown to retain the photoelectrochemical properties of n-Si without photocorrosion or current decay. The Pt/TiO2/n-Si electrode produced 19 mA cm(-2) of photocurrent density under 100 mW cm(-2) irradiation from a xenon lamp during oxygen evolution without current fading for over 12 h. PMID:26377039

We designed and mass-produced a versatile protein supramolecule that can be used to manufacture a highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Twelve single-walled carbon-nanotube (SWNT)-binding and titanium-mineralizing peptides were genetically integrated on a cage-shaped dodecamer protein (CDT1). A process involving simple mixing of highly conductive SWNTs with CDT1 followed by TiO2 biomineralization produces a high surface-area/weight TiO2 -(anatase)-coated intact SWNT nanocomposite under environmentally friendly conditions. A DSSC with a TiO2 photoelectrode containing 0.2 wt % of the SWNT-TiO2 nanocomposite shows a current density improvement by 80% and a doubling of the photoelectric conversion efficiency. The SWNT-TiO2 nanocomposite transfers photon-generated electrons from dye molecules adsorbed on the TiO2 to the anode electrode swiftly. PMID:25111295

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology is a novel research area in the charging technology that bridges the utility and the automotive industries. There are various solutions that are currently being evaluated by several research teams to find the most efficient way to manage the power flow from the grid to the vehicle energy storage system. There are different control parameters that can be utilized to compensate for the change in the impedance due to variable parameters such as battery state-of-charge, coupling factor, and coil misalignment. This paper presents the implementation of an active front-end rectifier on the grid side for power factor control and voltage boost capability for load power regulation. The proposed SiC MOSFET based single phase active front end rectifier with PFC resulted in >97% efficiency at 137mm air-gap and >95% efficiency at 160mm air-gap.

The nucleosome core particle, the basic repeated structure in chromatin fibers, consists of an octamer of eight core histone molecules, organized as dimers (H2A/H2B) and tetramers [(H3/H4)2] around which DNA wraps tightly in almost two left-handed turns. The nucleosome has to undergo certain conformational changes to allow processes that need access to the DNA template to occur. By single-pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we demonstrate fast, long-range, reversible conformational fluctuations in nucleosomes between two states: fully folded (closed), with the DNA wrapped around the histone core, or open, with the DNA significantly unraveled from the histone octamer. The brief excursions into an extended open state may create windows of opportunity for protein factors involved in DNA transactions to bind to or translocate along the DNA. PMID:15728351

Poland syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by a unilateral congenital absence of the sternocostal head of the pectoralis major muscle. The absence of the pectoralis major does not only result in chest asymmetry but also in a missing anterior axillary fold, which is essential for natural anatomical appearance in both male and female patients. In Poland syndrome patients, we perform bipolar latissimus dorsi flap transfer, which can be associated with a sublatissimus implant in women. All procedures are performed through a single short midaxillary incision, and tendon translocation in this technique allows the creation of the anterior axillary fold and thus a natural chest appearance. Moreover, this technique can be performed by any plastic surgeon operating under a basic operating room setting. PMID:27622115

Summary: Poland syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by a unilateral congenital absence of the sternocostal head of the pectoralis major muscle. The absence of the pectoralis major does not only result in chest asymmetry but also in a missing anterior axillary fold, which is essential for natural anatomical appearance in both male and female patients. In Poland syndrome patients, we perform bipolar latissimus dorsi flap transfer, which can be associated with a sublatissimus implant in women. All procedures are performed through a single short midaxillary incision, and tendon translocation in this technique allows the creation of the anterior axillary fold and thus a natural chest appearance. Moreover, this technique can be performed by any plastic surgeon operating under a basic operating room setting. PMID:27622115

Results are presented for oil flow and phase change paint heat transfer tests conducted on a 0.006 scale model of a proposed single stage to orbit control configured vehicle. The data were taken at angles of attack up to 40 deg at a free stream Mach number of 10 for Reynolds numbers based on model length of 0.5 x 10 to the 6th power, 1.0 x 10 to the 6th power and 2.0 x 10 to the 6th power. The magnitude and distribution of heating are characterized in terms of angle of attack and Reynolds number aided by an analysis of the flow data which are used to suggest the presence of various three dimensional flow structures that produce the observed heating patterns. Of particular interest are streak heating patterns that result in high localized heat transfer rates on the wing windward surface at low to moderate angles of attack. These streaks are caused by the bow-shock/wing-shock interaction and formation of the wing-shock. Embedded vorticity was found to be associated with these interactions.

One-neutron transfer reactions are being used to study single-particle neutron states in nuclei. For one-neutron halo nuclei, such as 11Be, the (p,d) reaction enables the removal of the halo neutron or of one of the core neutrons. This way, it is possible to simultaneously study the halo wavefunction of the 11Be ground-state but also a possible excited halo state in 10Be. The 11Be(p, d)10Be transfer reaction at 10 MeV/nucleon is being investigated at the TRIUMF-ISAC II facility with the Printed Circuit Board Based Charged Particle ((PCB)2) array inside the TRIUMF ISAC Gamma-Ray Escape-Suppressed Spectrometer (TIGRESS). The ground state and first excited state of 10Be can be directly identified using deuteron identification and kinematics from the charged particle array, while the four excited states in10Be around 6 MeV, including the suspected halo state (2- state), are identified using coincident gamma rays from TIGRESS with the identified deuterons. Angular distributions for the 10Be populated states will be shown along with their FRESCO fits. This work is partially supported by the US Department of Energy through Grant/Contract No. DE-FG03-93ER40789 (Colorado School of Mines).

The local thermal effects in the wake of a single cube with a strong heated rear face, representing a large building in an urban area, are studied using large-eddy simulations (LES) for various degrees of heating, which are characterized by the local Richardson number, Ri. New wall models are implemented for momentum and temperature and comparison of the flow and thermal fields with the wind-tunnel data of Richards et al. (J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 94, 621-636, 2006) shows fair agreement. Buoyancy effects are quite evident at low Ri and a significant increase in the turbulence levels is observed for such flows. Apart from the comparisons with experiments, further analysis included the estimation of the thermal boundary-layer thickness and heat transfer coefficient for all Ri. For sufficiently strong heating, the heat transfer coefficient at the leeward face is found to be higher than the roof surface. This suggests that, beyond a certain Ri value, buoyancy forces from the former surface dominate the strong streamwise convection of the latter. Quadrant analysis along the shear layer behind the cube showed that the strength of sweeps that contribute to momentum flux is considerably enhanced by heating. The contribution of different quadrants to the heat flux is found to be very different to that of the momentum flux for lower Ri.

Lessons learned from conserved vertebrate developmental pathways have catalyzed rapid advances in pluripotent stem cell differentiation towards therapeutically relevant cell types. The most highly conserved phases of development are associated with the early patterning of the body plan - the so-called phylotypic stage. Both prior to and after this stage there is much more divergence across species. Developmental differences between human and mouse at the blastocyst and early post-implantation stages might help explain the differences among the different stem cell lines derived from these embryos. A better understanding of these early stages of human development will aid our ability to generate and manipulate human stem cells and their derivatives. PMID:25516964

Objective Obese women experience worse reproductive outcomes compared to normal weight women, specifically infertility, pregnancy loss, fetal malformations and developmental delay. The objective of this study was to use a genetic mouse model of obesity in order to recapitulate the human reproductive phenotype and further examine potential mechanisms and therapies. Methods New inbred, polygenic Type 2 diabetic TallyHO mice and age matched control C57BL/6 mice were superovulated to obtain morulae or blastocysts stage embryos which were cultured in human tubal fluid media. Deoxyglucose uptake was performed on insulin-stimulated individual blastocysts. Apoptosis was detected by confocal microscopy using TUNEL assay and Topro-3 nuclear dye. Embryos were scored for %TUNEL positive/total nuclei. AMPK activation, TNFα expression, and adiponectin expression were analyzed by western immunoblot and confocal immunofluorescent microscopy. Lipid accumulation was assayed by Bodipy. Finally all measured parameters were compared between TallyHO mice in morulaes cultured to blastocyst embryos in either human tubal fluid (HTF) media or HTF with 25ug/ml metformin added. Results TallyHo mice developed whole body abnormal insulin tolerance, decreased litter number and increased NEFA. Blastocysts demonstrated increased apoptosis, decreased insulin sensitivity, and decreased activation of AMP activated protein-kinase (AMPK). As a possible cause of the insulin resistance/abnormal P-AMPK, we found that Tumor necrosis Factor (TNFα) expression and lipid accumulation as detected by BODIPY were increased in TallyHO blastocysts and adiponectin was decreased. Culturing TallyHO morulae with the AMPK activator, metformin lead to a reversal of all abnormal findings, including increased p-AMPK, improved insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and normalization of lipid accumulation. Conclusions Women with obesity and insulin resistance experience poor pregnancy outcomes. Previously we have shown in mouse

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are emerging as materials with much potential in several disciplines, in particular in electronics and photovoltaics. The combination of SWNTs with electron donors or acceptors generates active materials, which can produce electrical energy when irradiated. However, SWNTs are very elusive species when characterization of their metastable states is required. This problem mainly arises because of the polydispersive nature of SWNT samples and the inevitable presence of SWNTs in bundles of different sizes. Here, we report the complete and thorough characterization of an SWNT radical ion-pair state induced by complexation with a perylene dye, which combines excellent electron-accepting and -conducting features with a five-fused ring π-system. At the same time, the perylene dye enables the dispersion of SWNTs by means of π-π interactions, which gives individual SWNTs in solution. This work clears a path towards electronic and optoelectronic devices in which regulated electrical transport properties are important. PMID:21378855

The cadmium isotopes have been cited as excellent examples of vibrational nuclei for decades, with multi-phonon quadrupole, quadrupole-octupole, and mixed-symmetry states proposed. From a variety of experimental studies, a large amount of spectroscopic data has been obtained, recently focused on γ-ray studies. In the present work, the single-particle structure of 112Cd has been investigated using the 111Cd(ěcd, p)112Cd reaction. The investigation was carried out using a 22 MeV beam of polarized deuterons obtained from the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory at Garching, Germany. The reaction ejectiles were momentum analyzed using a Q3D spectrograph, and 115 levels have been identified up to 4.2 MeV of excitation energy. Spin-parity has been assigned to each analyzed level, and angular distributions for the reaction cross sections and analyzing powers were obtained. Many additional levels have been observed compared with the previous (d,p) study performed with 8 MeV deuterons,1 including strongly populated 5- and 6- states. The former was previously assigned as a member of the quadrupole-octupole quintuplet, based on a strongly enhanced B(E2) value to the 3- state, but is now re-assigned as being predominately s1/2 ⊗ h11/2 configuration.

Cows fed high-protein diets may have impaired reproductive performance. Although the pathogenesis has not been completely elucidated, it appears that not only the uterus, but also the follicle and oocyte, are affected by excessive plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) concentrations. Thus, the objective was to determine the effects of short-term urea feeding on the competence of bovine oocytes. Forty crossbred heifers (Bos indicus vs Bos taurus) were allocated to two groups, namely CONTROL (maintenance diet) and UREA (maintenance diet supplemented with 75 g of urea/day), following a cross-over design. Heifers received their respective diets for 6 d (without adaptation). On the sixth day, blood samples were harvested both before and 3 h after feeding, and cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected by ovum pick-up. Although PUN concentrations were higher in UREA than CONTROL heifers (31.31 mg/dL ± 1.13 vs 22.12 mg/dL ± 0.86; mean ± SEM), neither the number of COCs recovered (8.8 ± 1.0 vs 9.2 ± 0.8, UREA vs CONTROL, respectively) nor their quality (based on morphology) differed significantly between groups. Next, oocytes were fertilized and cultured in vitro to assess developmental rates. There was an absence of significant differences between groups for rates of cleavage (Day 3) or blastocyst formation (Days 6, 7 and 9), but the hatched blastocyst rate on Day 11 after fertilization was lower (P < 0.05) in the UREA than the CONTROL groups (64.3 vs 83.5%). Therefore, we inferred that the effects of urea were only manifest later in development. In conclusion, high PUN concentrations decreased oocyte competence in heifers, reinforcing the hypothesis that poor reproductive performance in cows with high PUN was due, at least in part, to a deleterious effect on oocytes. PMID:21496898

1. Whole-cell and patch-clamp techniques (Hamill, Marty, Neher, Sakmann & Sigworth, 1981) have been used to make quantitative measurements of the transient inward sodium current (INa) in single cells from bullfrog atrium. This preparation is particularly suitable for the study of INa: (i) the current density is relatively low, (ii) the cells lack a transverse tubule system, (iii) isolated myocytes can be maintained at reduced temperatures (approximately 8-12 degrees C); therefore kinetics can be studied quantitatively. 2. INa was pharmacologically and kinetically isolated from other transmembrane currents by blocking ICa with CdCl2 (0.2-0.5 mM) or LaCl3 (5 x 10(-6) M), and by using only relatively short voltage-clamp depolarizations which did not activate IK (the delayed rectifier). 3. The voltage dependence of INa in bullfrog atrium is similar to that in amphibian node of Ranvier or fast skeletal muscle. The threshold for activation is approximately -50 mV. The peak of the INa vs. membrane potential relation is near -5 to -10 mV. The reversal potential in 'normal' (115 mM-Na+) Ringer solution is +59.0 mV (S.D. +/- 3.4, n = 10). Reduction of external Na+ concentration to one-third of normal resulted in an approximately -27 mV shift of the reversal potential, close to that expected for a highly Na+-selective conductance. 4. Steady-state inactivation of INa (h infinity), measured with a conventional two-pulse voltage-clamp protocol, spanned the membrane potential range from -90 to -50 mV. The potential dependence of h infinity was well described by a single Boltzmann function with half-inactivation at -71 mV and maximum slope of 6.0 mV. 5. Steady-state activation of INa (m infinity) was determined from fits of INa records to a Hodgkin-Huxley model. The potential dependence of m infinity was fitted to a Boltzmann function with half-activation at -33 mV and maximum slope of 9.5 mV. Thus at temperatures around 10 degrees C there was very little overlap of the m infinity

This study investigated re-expansion dynamics during culture of bovine blastocysts cryopreserved either by slow-freezing or vitrification. Also, the extent and localization of membrane damage and DNA fragmentation in re-expanded embryos were studied. Frozen-thawed embryos showed a significantly lower re-expansion rate during 24 h of post-thawing culture compared to vitrified embryos. Vitrified embryos reached the maximum level of re-expansion rate by 12 h of culture whereas frozen embryos showed a gradual increase in re-expansion rate by 24 h of culture. When assayed by Hoechst/propidium iodide staining there was no difference in the numbers and ratio of membrane damaged cells between re-expanded frozen and vitrified embryos; however, the extent of membrane damage in blastomeres was significantly higher in both groups compared with non-cryopreserved embryos (control). TUNEL assay combined with differential ICM and TE staining revealed a significantly higher number and ratio of TE cells showing DNA-fragmentation in frozen-thawed re-expanded blastocysts compared to vitrified ones; however, vitrification also resulted in an increased extent of DNA fragmentation in TE cells compared with control blastocysts. In frozen-thawed blastocysts increased extent of DNA fragmentation was associated with reduced numbers and proportion of TE cells compared with vitrified and control embryos. The number and ratio of ICM cells and the extent of DNA fragmentation in ICM did not differ among control, frozen and vitrified groups. In conclusion, compared with vitrified embryos, blastocysts preserved by slow-freezing showed a delayed timing of re-expansion which was associated with an increased frequency of DNA fragmentation in TE cells. PMID:26996887

Integrated circuits designed for specific applications generally use non-standard communication methods. Hybrid pixel detector readout electronics produces a huge amount of data as a result of number of frames per seconds. The data needs to be transmitted to a higher level system without limiting the ASIC's capabilities. Nowadays, the Camera Link interface is still one of the fastest communication methods, allowing transmission speeds up to 800 MB/s. In order to communicate between a higher level system and the ASIC with a dedicated protocol, an FPGA with dedicated code is required. The configuration data is received from the PC and written to the ASIC. At the same time, the same FPGA should be able to transmit the data from the ASIC to the PC at the very high speed. The camera should be an embedded system enabling autonomous operation and self-monitoring. In the presented solution, at least three different hardware platforms are used—FPGA, microprocessor with real-time operating system and the PC with end-user software. We present the use of a single software platform for high speed data transfer from 65k pixel camera to the personal computer.

Numerical chromosome aberrations in gametes typically lead to failed fertilization, spontaneous abortion or a chromosomally abnormal fetus. By means of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), we now can screen human embryos in vitro for aneuploidy before transferring the embryos to the uterus. PGD allows us to select unaffected embryos for transfer and increases the implantation rate in in vitro fertilization programs. Molecular cytogenetic analyses using multi-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of blastomeres have become the major tool for preimplantation genetic screening of aneuploidy. However, current FISH technology can test for only a small number of chromosome abnormalities and hitherto failed to increase the pregnancy rates as expected. We are in the process of developing technologies to score all 24 chromosomes in single cells within a 3 day time limit, which we believe is vital to the clinical setting. Also, human placental cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) at the fetal-maternal interface acquire aneuploidies as they differentiate to an invasive phenotype. About 20-50% of invasive CTB cells from uncomplicated pregnancies were found aneuploidy, suggesting that the acquisition of aneuploidy is an important component of normal placentation, perhaps limiting the proliferative and invasive potential of CTBs. Since most invasive CTBs are interphase cells and possess extreme heterogeneity, we applied multi-color FISH and repeated hybridizations to investigate individual CTBs. In summary, this study demonstrates the strength of Spectral Imaging analysis and repeated hybridizations, which provides a basis for full karyotype analysis of single interphase cells.

Single-molecule Förster resonance energy (smFRET) transfer has become a powerful tool for observing conformational dynamics of biological macromolecules. Analyzing smFRET time trajectories allows to identify the state transitions occuring on reaction pathways of molecular machines. Previously, we have developed a smFRET approach to monitor movements of the two nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) during ATP hydrolysis driven drug transport in solution. One limitation of this initial work was that single-molecule photon bursts were analyzed by visual inspection with manual assignment of individual FRET levels. Here a fully automated analysis of Pgp smFRET data using hidden Markov models (HMM) for transitions up to 9 conformational states is applied. We propose new estimators for HMMs to integrate the information of fluctuating intensities in confocal smFRET measurements of freely diffusing lipid bilayer bound membrane proteins in solution. HMM analysis strongly supports that under conditions of steady state turnover, conformational states with short NBD distances and short dwell times are more populated compared to conditions without nucleotide or transport substrate present. PMID:23891547

The fundamental information related to the energy flow between molecules and substrate surfaces as a function of surface site geometry and molecular structure is critical for understanding interfacial electron-transfer (ET) dynamics. The inhomogeneous nanoscale molecule-surface and molecule-molecule interactions are presumably the origins of the complexity in interfacial ET dynamics; thus, identifying the environment of molecules at nanoscale is crucial. We have developed atomic force microscopy (AFM) correlated single-molecule fluorescence intensity/lifetime imaging microscopy (AFM-SMFLIM) capable of identifying and characterizing individual molecules distributed across the heterogeneous surface at the nanometer length scale. Using the novel AFM-SMFLIM imaging, we are able to obtain nanoscale morphology and interfacial ET dynamics at a single-molecule level. Moreover, the observed blinking behavior and lifetime of each molecule in combination with the topography of the environment at nanoscale provide the location of each molecule on the surface (TiO2 vs cover glass) at nanoscale and the coupling strength of each molecule with TiO2 nanoparticles. PMID:27214587

Measurements and calculations of differential cross sections for direct scattering, single-charge transfer, and double-charge transfer in collisions of 1.5-, 2.0-, 6.0-, and 10.0-keV (He-3)2+ with an He-4 target are reported. The measurements cover laboratory scattering angles below 1.5 deg with an angular resolution of about 0.03 deg. A quantum-mechanical molecular-state representation is employed in the calculations; in the case of single-charge transfer a two-state close-coupling calculation is carried out taking into account electron-translation effects. The theoretical calculations agree well with the experimental results for direct scattering and double-charge transfer. The present calculation identifies the origins of oscillatory structures observed in the differential cross sections.

The increasing interest in RNA nanotechnology and the demonstrated feasibility of using RNA nanoparticles as therapeutics have prompted the need for imaging systems with nanometer-scale resolution for RNA studies. Phi29 dimeric pRNAs can serve as building blocks in assembly into the hexameric ring of the nanomotors, as modules of RNA nanoparciles, and as vehicles for specific delivery of therapeutics to cancers or viral infected cells. The understanding of the 3D structure of this novel RNA dimeric particle is fundamentally and practically important. Although a 3D model of pRNA dimer has been proposed based on biochemical analysis, no distance measurements or X-ray diffraction data have been reported. Here we evaluated the application of our customized single-molecule dual-viewing system for distance measurement within pRNA dimers using single-molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET). Ten pRNA monomers labeled with single donor or acceptor fluorophores at various locations were constructed and eight dimers were assembled. smFRET signals were detected for six dimers. The tethered arm sizes of the fluorophores were estimated empirically from dual-labeled RNA/DNA standards. The distances between donor and acceptor were calculated and used as distance parameters to assess and refine the previously reported 3D model of the pRNA dimer. Distances between nucleotides in pRNA dimers were found to be different from those of the dimers bound to procapsid, suggesting a conformational change of the pRNA dimer upon binding to the procapsid. PMID:20954698

AIMS To determine pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), tolerability and safety of BAY 60–5521, a potent inhibitor of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). METHODS The first in man (FIM) study investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in healthy male subjects following administration of single oral doses. The study was performed using a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, single dose-escalation design. Thirty-eight young healthy male subjects (aged 20–45 years) received an oral dose of 5, 12.5, 25 or 50 mg BAY 60–5521 (n = 28) or were treated with a placebo (n = 10). RESULTS In all four dose steps, only one adverse event (25 mg; mild skin rash) was considered drug related. Clinical laboratory parameters showed no clinically relevant changes. A clear dose-dependent CETP inhibition could be demonstrated starting at a dose of 5 mg. At a dose of 25 mg, a CETP inhibition >50% over 18 h was observed. After 50 mg, CETP inhibition >50% lasted more than 50 h. Twenty-four h after administration mean HDL-C-values showed a nearly dose-proportional increase. Following administration of 50 mg, a significant HDL-C increase of about 30% relative to baseline values was found. BAY 60–5521 was slowly absorbed reaching maximum concentrations in plasma after 4 to 6 h. The disposition in plasma was multi-exponential with an estimated mean terminal half-life of 76 to 144 h. CONCLUSIONS BAY 60–5521 was clinically safe and well tolerated. No effects on heart rate, blood pressure and ECG recordings were observed during the study. A clear pharmacodynamic effect on CETP inhibition and HDL could be demonstrated. PMID:21838789

Embryo transfer was used in an equestrian teaching center in order to produce as many foals as possible from their preferred mares during a single breeding season. Embryo collection by uterine lavage was attempted in five donor mares on 25 occasions 6.5 days after ovulation. Sixteen of the collection attempts (64%) yielded a total of 17 blastocysts. Of these 17 embryos, 13 were immediately transferred transcervically into recipient mares that had ovulated within two days of the time of ovulation in the donors, three were frozen for later transfer, and one was lost. Eight of the freshly transferred embryos (61%) developed and were detected on ultrasonography on day 11.5; five of these continued to develop normally and gave rise to healthy foals (38%), but three were lost at 14.5, 22.5 and 24.5 days gestation. Two of the frozen embryos were judged viable when thawed the following year and produced one additional pregnancy after transcervical transfer. Thus the five donor mares have produced five foals and a sixth 90-day pregnancy1 with only a three-month interruption of their use for competition and teaching. 1While this paper was in press, the sixth pregnancy also terminated in the production of a healthy foal. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2. PMID:17422935

The measurement of extracellular pH (pHe) has potential utility for cancer diagnoses and for assessing the therapeutic effects of pH-dependent therapies. A single magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent that is detected through paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARACEST) was designed to measure tumor pHe throughout the range of physiologic pH and with magnetic resonance saturation powers that are not harmful to a mouse model of cancer. The chemical characterization and modeling of the contrast agent Yb3+-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid,10-o-aminoanilide (Yb-DO3A-oAA) suggested that the aryl amine of the agent forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond with a proximal carboxylate ligand, which was essential for generating a practical chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effect from an amine. A ratio of CEST effects from the aryl amine and amide was linearly correlated with pH throughout the physiologic pH range. The pH calibration was used to produce a parametric pH map of a subcutaneous flank tumor on a mouse model of MCF-7 mammary carcinoma. Although refinements in the in vivo CEST MRI methodology may improve the accuracy of pHe measurements, this study demonstrated that the PARACEST contrast agent can be used to generate parametric pH maps of in vivo tumors with saturation power levels that are not harmful to a mouse model of cancer. PMID:22418027

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) can be readily isolated from bone marrow and differentiate into multiple tissues, making them a promising target for future cell and gene therapy applications. The low frequency of hMSCs in bone marrow necessitates their isolation and expansion in vitro prior to clinical use, but due to senescence-associated growth arrest during culture, limited cell numbers can be generated. The lifespan of hMSCs has been extended by ectopic expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) using retroviral vectors. Since malignant transformation was observed in hMSCs and retroviral vectors cause insertional mutagenesis, we ectopically expressed hTERT using lentiviral gene transfer. Single-cell-derived hMSC clones expressing hTERT did not show malignant transformation in vitro and in vivo after extended culture periods. There were no changes observed in the expression of tumour suppressor genes and karyotype. Cultured hMSCs lack telomerase activity, but it was significantly increased by ectopic expression of hTERT. HTERT expression prevented hMSC senescence and the cells showed significantly higher and unlimited proliferation capacity. Even after an extended culture period, hMSCs expressing hTERT preserved their stem cells character as shown by osteogenic, adipogenic and chon-drogenic differentiation. In summary, extending the lifespan of human mesenchymal stem cells by ectopic expression of hTERT using lentiviral gene transfer may be an attractive and safe way to generate appropriate cell numbers for cell and gene therapy applications. PMID:18318690

The clinical application of a new, widely applicable method known as Karyomapping to carry out a total of 55 clinical cases of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for single gene disorders is reported. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was carried out in parallel to the new method for all cases. Clinical application of Karyomapping in this study resulted in three live births and nine clinical pregnancies out of 20 cases with a transfer. All in all, results presented in this study indicate that Karyomapping is a highly efficient, accurate and robust method for PGD of single gene disorders. Karyomapping can offer a more comprehensive assessment of the region of interest than conventional PCR analysis, allowing for more embryos to receive diagnosis (99.6% versus 96.8%), whereas its wide applicability reduces substantially the time that patients have to wait before starting their in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. Nonetheless, inclusion of elements of conventional PCR methodology, such as direct mutation detection, may be required in cases in which the gene of interest is in a region with reduced single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) coverage (e.g. telomeric regions), when offering PGD for consanguineous couples, or in cases where no samples from additional family members are available. PMID:26206283

Ghrelin is a gastric peptide having regulatory role in the reproductive system functionality, acting mainly at central level. Because the expression of ghrelin system (ghrelin and its receptor) has been detected in the bovine ovary, the objectives of the present study were to investigate whether ghrelin can affect the developmental potential of in vitro-produced embryos, and to test their quality in terms of relative abundance of various genes related to metabolism, apoptosis and oxidation. In the first experiment, in vitro-produced zygotes were cultured in the absence (control [C]) and in the presence of three concentrations of acylated ghrelin (200 pg/mL [Ghr200], 800 pg/mL [Ghr800]; and 2000 pg/mL [Ghr2000]); blastocyst formation rates were examined on Days 7, 8, and 9. In the second experiment, only the 800 pg/mL dose of ghrelin was used. Zygotes were produced as in experiment 1 and 24 hours post insemination they were divided into 4 groups; in two groups (C; without ghrelin; Ghr800 with ghrelin), embryos were cultured without medium replacement; in the remaining two groups (Control N and GhrN), the culture medium was daily renewed. A pool of Day-7 blastocysts were snap frozen for relative mRNA abundance of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, implantation, and apoptosis. In experiment 3, embryos were produced as in experiment 2, but in the absence of serum (semi-defined culture medium). In experiment 1, no differences were detected between C, Ghr200, and Ghr2000, although fewer blastocysts were produced in group Ghr800 compared with C. In experiment 2, the lowest blastocysts yield was found in Ghr800, whereas daily renewal of ghrelin (Ghr800N) resulted to increased blastocysts formation rate, which on Day 7 was the highest among groups (P < 0.05). In experiment 3, ghrelin significantly suppressed blastocysts yield. Significant differences were detected in various relative mRNA abundance, giving an overall final notion that embryos produced in the

Electron transfer in the ground and excited states of a model donor–acceptor (D–A) system is investigated using the single-reference and multi-reference density functional theory (DFT) methods. To analyze the results of the calculations, a simple two-site multi-reference model was derived that predicts a stepwise electron transfer in the S{sub 0} state and a wave-like dependence of the S{sub 1} electron transfer on the external stimulus. The standard single-reference Kohn-Sham (KS) DFT approach and the time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) method failed to describe the correct dependence of the S{sub 0} and S{sub 1} electron transfer on the external electric field applied along the donor–acceptor system. The multi-reference DFT approach, the spin-restricted ensemble-referenced KS (REKS) method, was able to successfully reproduce the correct behavior of the S{sub 0} and S{sub 1} electron transfer on the applied field. The REKS method was benchmarked against experimentally measured gas phase charge transfer excitations in a series of organic donor–acceptor complexes and displayed its ability to describe this type of electronic transitions with a very high accuracy, mean absolute error of 0.05 eV with the use of the standard range separated density functionals. On the basis of the calculations undertaken in this work, it is suggested that the non-adiabatic coupling between the S{sub 0} and S{sub 1} states may interfere with the electron transfer in a weakly coupled donor–acceptor system. It is also suggested that the electronic excitation of a D{sup +}–A{sup −} system may play a dual role by assisting the further electron transfer at certain magnitudes of the applied electric field and causing the backward transfer at lower electric field strengths.

The quantitative performance of a ``single half-wavelength'' acoustic resonator operated at frequencies around 3 MHz as a continuous flow microparticle filter has been investigated. Standing wave acoustic radiation pressure on suspended particles (5-μm latex) drives them towards the center of the half-wavelength separation channel. Clarified suspending phase from the region closest to the filter wall is drawn away through a downstream outlet. The filtration efficiency of the device was established from continuous turbidity measurements at the filter outlet. The frequency dependence of the acoustic energy density in the aqueous particle suspension layer of the filter system was obtained by application of the transfer matrix model [H. Nowotny and E. Benes, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 82, 513-521 (1987)]. Both the measured clearances and the calculated energy density distributions showed a maximum at the fundamental of the piezoceramic transducer and a second, significantly larger, maximum at another system's resonance not coinciding with any of the transducer or empty chamber resonances. The calculated frequency of this principal energy density maximum was in excellent agreement with the optimal clearance frequency for the four tested channel widths. The high-resolution measurements of filter performance provide, for the first time, direct verification of the matrix model predictions of the frequency dependence of acoustic energy density in the water layer.

Energy-storing artificial-photosynthetic systems for CO2 reduction must derive the reducing equivalents from a renewable source rather than from sacrificial donors. To this end, a homogeneous, integrated chromophore/two-catalyst system is described that is thermodynamically capable of photochemically driving the energy-storing reverse water-gas shift reaction (CO2 + H2 → CO + H2O), where the reducing equivalents are provided by renewable H2. The system consists of the chromophore zinc tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP), H2 oxidation catalysts of the form [Cp(R)Cr(CO)3](-), and CO2 reduction catalysts of the type Re(bpy-4,4'-R2)(CO)3Cl. Using time-resolved spectroscopic methods, a comprehensive mechanistic and kinetic picture of the photoinitiated reactions of mixtures of these compounds has been developed. It has been found that absorption of a single photon by broadly absorbing ZnTPP sensitizes intercatalyst electron transfer to produce the substrate-active forms of each. The initial photochemical step is the heretofore unobserved reductive quenching of the low-energy T1 state of ZnTPP. Under the experimental conditions, the catalytically competent state decays with a second-order half-life of ∼15 μs, which is of the right magnitude for substrate trapping of sensitized catalyst intermediates. PMID:24961370

Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is the major lipid soluble antioxidant in most animal species. By controlling the secretion of vitamin E from the liver, the α-tocopherol transfer protein (αTTP) regulates whole-body distribution and levels of this vital nutrient. However, the mechanism(s) that regulate the expression of this protein are poorly understood. Here we report that transcription of the TTPA gene in immortalized human hepatocytes (IHH) is induced by oxidative stress and by hypoxia, by agonists of the nuclear receptors PPARα and RXR, and by increased cAMP levels. The data show further that induction of TTPA transcription by oxidative stress is mediated by an already-present transcription factor, and does not require de novo protein synthesis. Silencing of the cAMP response element binding (CREB) transcription factor attenuated transcriptional responses of the TTPA gene to added peroxide, suggesting that CREB mediates responses of this gene to oxidative stress. Using a 1.9 Kb proximal segment of the human TTPA promoter together with site-directed mutagenesis approach, we found that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are commonly found in healthy humans dramatically affect promoter activity. These observations suggest that oxidative stress and individual genetic makeup contribute to vitamin E homeostasis in humans. These findings may explain the variable responses to vitamin E supplementation observed in human clinical trials. PMID:23079030

Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is the major lipid-soluble antioxidant in most animal species. By controlling the secretion of vitamin E from the liver, the α-tocopherol transfer protein regulates whole-body distribution and levels of this vital nutrient. However, the mechanism(s) that regulates the expression of this protein is poorly understood. Here we report that transcription of the TTPA gene in immortalized human hepatocytes is induced by oxidative stress and by hypoxia, by agonists of the nuclear receptors PPARα and RXR, and by increased cAMP levels. The data show further that induction of TTPA transcription by oxidative stress is mediated by an already-present transcription factor and does not require de novo protein synthesis. Silencing of the cAMP response element-binding (CREB) transcription factor attenuated transcriptional responses of the TTPA gene to added peroxide, suggesting that CREB mediates responses of this gene to oxidative stress. Using a 1.9-kb proximal segment of the human TTPA promoter together with a site-directed mutagenesis approach, we found that single-nucleotide polymorphisms that are commonly found in healthy humans dramatically affect promoter activity. These observations suggest that oxidative stress and individual genetic makeup contribute to vitamin E homeostasis in humans. These findings may explain the variable responses to vitamin E supplementation observed in human clinical trials. PMID:23079030

Isolated intrinsic and phosphorus doped (P-doped) Si-nanocrystals (Si-NCs) on n- and p-Si substrates are fabricated by excimer laser crystallization techniques. The formation of Si-NCs is confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and conductive AFM measurements. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) is then carried out to visualize the trapped charges in a single Si-NC dot which derives from the charge transfer between Si-NCs and Si substrates due to their different Fermi levels. The laser crystallized P-doped Si-NCs have a similar Fermi level around the mid-gap to the intrinsic counterparts, which might be caused by the inactivated impurity atoms or the surface states-related Fermi level pinning. A clear rise of the Fermi level in P-doped Si-NCs is observed after a short time thermal annealing treatment, indicating the activation of dopants in Si-NCs. Moreover, the surface charge quantity can be estimated using a simple parallel plate capacitor model for a quantitative understanding of the KPFM results at the nanoscale.

A simple route is reported to synthesize colloidal particle clusters (CPCs) from self-assembly of in situ poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(styrene-co-tert-butyl acrylate) [PVDF/P(St-co-tBA)] Janus particles through one-pot seeded emulsion single electron transfer radical polymerization. In the in situ Pickering-like emulsion polymerization, the tBA/St/PVDF feed ratio and polymerization temperature are important for the formation of well-defined CPCs. When the tBA/St/PVDF feed ratio is 0.75 g/2.5 g/0.5 g and the reaction temperature is 35 °C, relatively uniform raspberry-like CPCs are obtained. The hydrophobicity of the P(St-co-tBA) domains and the affinity of PVDF to the aqueous environment are considered to be the driving force for the self-assembly of the in situ formed PVDF/P(St-co-tBA) Janus particles. The resultant raspberry-like CPCs with PVDF particles protruding outward may be promising for superhydrophobic smart coatings. PMID:27226331

This work reports a facile novel approach to prepare asymmetric poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polystyrene (PVDF/PS) composite latex particles with controllable morphologies using one-step soap-free seeded emulsion polymerization, i.e., surface-initiated single electron transfer radical polymerization (SET-RP) of styrene (St) at the surface of PVDF seed particles. It was observed that the morphology was influenced mainly by the St/PVDF feed ratio, the polymerization temperature, and the length of the catalyst Cu(0) wire (Φ 1.00 mm). When the feed ratio was St/PVDF = 5.0 g/1.0 g, snowman-like Janus particles were exclusively obtained. Raspberry-like and popcorn-like composite particles were observed at a higher reaction temperature or a shorter length of the catalyst wire. The reaction kinetics plots demonstrated some unique features. The formation of nonspherical composite nanoparticles can be ascribed to the surface nucleation of PS bulges following the SET-RP. PMID:25797695

Energy-storing artificial-photosynthetic systems for CO2 reduction must derive the reducing equivalents from a renewable source rather than from sacrificial donors. To this end, a homogeneous, integrated chromophore/two-catalyst system is described that is thermodynamically capable of photochemically driving the energy-storing reverse water–gas shift reaction (CO2 + H2 → CO + H2O), where the reducing equivalents are provided by renewable H2. The system consists of the chromophore zinc tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP), H2 oxidation catalysts of the form [CpRCr(CO)3]–, and CO2 reduction catalysts of the type Re(bpy-4,4′-R2)(CO)3Cl. Using time-resolved spectroscopic methods, a comprehensive mechanistic and kinetic picture of the photoinitiated reactions of mixtures of these compounds has been developed. It has been found that absorption of a single photon by broadly absorbing ZnTPP sensitizes intercatalyst electron transfer to produce the substrate-active forms of each. The initial photochemical step is the heretofore unobserved reductive quenching of the low-energy T1 state of ZnTPP. Under the experimental conditions, the catalytically competent state decays with a second-order half-life of ∼15 μs, which is of the right magnitude for substrate trapping of sensitized catalyst intermediates. PMID:24961370

Peatlands are widely exploited archives of paleoenvironmental change. We developed and compared multiple transfer functions to infer peatland depth to the water table (DWT) and pH based on testate amoeba (percentages, or presence/absence), bryophyte presence/absence, and vascular plant presence/absence data from sub-alpine peatlands in the SE Swiss Alps in order to 1) compare the performance of single-proxy vs. multi-proxy models and 2) assess the performance of presence/absence models. Bootstrapping cross-validation showing the best performing single-proxy transfer functions for both DWT and pH were those based on bryophytes. The best performing transfer functions overall for DWT were those based on combined testate amoebae percentages, bryophytes and vascular plants; and, for pH, those based on testate amoebae and bryophytes. The comparison of DWT and pH inferred from testate amoeba percentages and presence/absence data showed similar general patterns but differences in the magnitude and timing of some shifts. These results show new directions for paleoenvironmental research, 1) suggesting that it is possible to build good-performing transfer functions using presence/absence data, although with some loss of accuracy, and 2) supporting the idea that multi-proxy inference models may improve paleoecological reconstruction. The performance of multi-proxy and single-proxy transfer functions should be further compared in paleoecological data.

We demonstrate the electron transfer between gold nanoparticles and perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 at a single nanoparticle level by plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering spectroscopy. Different mass concentrations of CH3NH3PbI3 show different formations of crystal grains on the gold nanoparticles, which led to different degrees of red-shift. PMID:27436158

Two-beam coupling in photorefractive BaTiO/sub 3/ is used to combine beams coherently from two injection-locked single-mode diode lasers operating at 830 nm. We are able to transfer more than 70% of the power in one beam to the other beam with this method.

The environment of the oocyte and embryo includes the metabolic effects of aging, lifestyle issues, psychological stress, nutritional supplements/replacements, cellular energy levels, endocrine and paracrine factors, the cumulus, exogenous gonadotropins and adjunctive medications, culture media, and the in vitro fertilization laboratory's conditions and manipulations. These complex factors, which will be examined in the following series of reviews, explain in part why not all euploid blastocysts result in viable pregnancies. PMID:26730497

An estimated 12% of women in the United States suffer from some form of infertility. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common treatment for infertility encompassing over 99% of all assisted reproductive technologies. However, IVF has a low success rate. Live birth rates using IVF can range from 40% in women younger than 35 years to 4% in women older than 42 years. Costs for a successful IVF outcome can be upward of $61,000. The low success rate of IVF has been attributed to the inability of the blastocyst to implant to the uterus. Blastocyst implantation is initiated by L-selectin expressing cells, trophoblasts, binding to L-selectin ligands, primarily sialyl Lewis X (sLeX), on the uterine surface endometrium. Legal and ethical considerations have limited the research on human subjects and tissues, whereas animal models are costly or do not properly mimic human implantation biochemistry. In this work, we describe a cellular model system for quantifying L-selectin adhesion mechanics. L-selectin expression was confirmed in Jeg-3, JAR, and BeWo cell lines, with only Jeg-3 cells exhibiting surface expression. Jeg-3 cells were cultured into three-dimensional spheres, termed “trophospheres,” as a mimic to human blastocysts. Detachment assays using a custom-built parallel plate flow chamber show that trophospheres detach from sLeX functionalized slides with 2.75×10−3 dyn of force and 7.5×10−5 dyn-cm of torque. This work marks the first time a three-dimensional cell model has been utilized for quantifying L-selectin binding mechanics related to blastocyst implantation. PMID:23927766

To evaluate the potential effects of melatonin on the kinetics of embryo development and quality of blastocyst during the process of in vitro bovine embryo culture. Bovine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were fertilized after in vitro maturation. The presumed zygotes were cultured in in vitro culture medium supplemented with or without 10−7 M melatonin. The cleavage rate, 8-cell rate and blastocyst rate were examined to identify the kinetics of embryo development. The hatched blastocyst rate, mortality rate after thawing and the relevant transcript abundance were measured to evaluate the quality of blastocyst. The results showed that melatonin significantly promoted the cleavage rate and 8-cell embryo yield of in vitro produced bovine embryo. In addition, significantly more blastocysts were observed by Day 7 of embryo culture at the presence of melatonin. These results indicated that melatonin accelerated the development of in vitro produced bovine embryos. Following vitrification at Day 7 of embryo culture, melatonin (10−7 M) significantly increased the hatched blastocyst rate from 24 h to 72 h and decreased the mortality rate from 48 h to 72 h after thawing. The presence of melatonin during the embryo culture resulted in a significant increase in the gene expressions of DNMT3A, OCC, CDH1 and decrease in that of AQP3 after thawing. In conclusion, melatonin not only promoted blastocyst yield and accelerated in vitro bovine embryo development, but also improved the quality of blastocysts which was indexed by an elevated cryotolerance and the up-regulated expressions of developmentally important genes. PMID:24695534

Oviductal microenvironment generally provides better conditions for early embryo development than the conventional in vitro system. In an attempt to simulate the oviduct conditions or the main potentially influencing factors, the effect was studied of a bovine oviductal fluid (bOF) treatment applied prior to IVF on (i) IVF parameters, (ii) cleavage rate, (iii) blastocyst yield and (iv) blastocyst quality. Embryo quality was assessed by morphological embryo quality and relative transcript abundance of several developmental genes in bovine blastocysts. Furthermore, to study the effect of bOF without the male effect and zona-sperm interaction, artificially activated metaphase II oocytes were also treated with bOF. In vitro-matured bovine oocytes from abattoir ovaries were treated or untreated with bOF for 30 min and then washed prior to IVF or activation. Subsequently, in vitro-fertilized and parthenogenetic embryos were in vitro cultured for 7 to 8 days. The bOF treatment had no effect on fertilization parameters, cleavage, blastocyst rates both on parthenogenetic and IVF bovine embryos and neither on morphological quality of IVF blastocysts. G6PD and SOD2 genes from IVF blastocysts showed significant changes in their expression after a bOF treatment. Significant differences were found for the expression of SCL2A1, GPX1, BAX, AKR1B1 and PLAC8 genes between excellent or good blastocysts (Grade 1) and fair blastocysts (Grade 2). To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates the effect of bOF oocyte treatment on fertilization parameters, development and quality of bovine embryos. PMID:22908847

With the advent of modern developmental biology and molecular genetics, the scientific community has generated thousands of newly genetically altered strains of laboratory mice with the aim of elucidating gene function. To this end, a large group of Institutions which form the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium is generating and phenotyping a knockout mouse strain for each of the ~20,000 protein-coding genes using the mutant ES cell resource produced by the International Knockout Mouse Consortium. These strains are made available to the research community via public repositories, mostly as cryopreserved sperm or embryos. To ensure the quality of this frozen resource there is a requirement that for each strain the frozen sperm/embryos are proven able to produce viable mutant progeny, before the live animal resource is removed from cages. Given the current requirement to generate live pups to demonstrate their mutant genotype, this quality control check necessitates the use and generation of many animals and requires considerable time, cage space, technical and economic resources. Here, we describe a simple and efficient method of genotyping pre-implantation stage blastocysts with significant ethical and economic advantages especially beneficial for current and future large-scale mouse mutagenesis projects. PMID:26178246

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of patients' lifestyle factors and eating habits on embryo development. A total of 2659 embryos recovered from 269 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles were included. The frequency of intake of food items and social habits were registered and its influences on embryo development evaluated. The consumption of cereals, vegetables and fruits positively influenced the embryo quality at the cleavage stage. The quality of the embryo at the cleavage stage was also negatively correlated with the consumption of alcoholic drinks and smoking habits. The consumption of fruits influenced the likelihood of blastocyst formation, which was also positively affected by the consumption of fish. Being on a weight-loss diet and consumption of red meat had a negative influence on the likelihood of blastocyst formation. The likelihood of blastocyst formation was also negatively influenced by the consumption of alcoholic drinks and by smoking habits. The consumption of red meat and body mass index had a negative effect on the implantation rate and the likelihood of pregnancy. In addition, being on a weight-loss diet had a negative influence on implantation rate. Our evidence suggests a possible relationship between environmental factors and ovary biology. PMID:25982093

Embryo implantation into the maternal uterus is a decisive step for successful mammalian pregnancy. Osteopontin (OPN) is a member of the small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoprotein family and participates in cell adhesion and invasion. In this study, we showed that Opn mRNA levels are up-regulated in the mouse uterus on day 4 and at the implantation sites on days 5 and 8 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry localized the OPN protein to the glandular epithelium on day 4 and to the decidual zone on day 8 of pregnancy. OPN mRNA and proteins are induced by in vivo and in vitro decidualization. OPN expression in the endometrial stromal cells is regulated by progesterone, a key regulator during decidualization. As a secreted protein, the protein level of OPN in the uterine cavity is enriched on day 4, and in vitro embryo culturing has indicated that OPN can facilitate blastocyst hatching and adhesion. Knockdown of OPN attenuates the adhesion and invasion of blastocysts in mouse endometrial stromal cells by suppressing the expression and enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in the trophoblast. Our data indicated that OPN expression in the mouse uterus during early pregnancy is essential for blastocyst hatching and adhesion and that the knockdown of OPN in mouse endometrial stroma cells could lead to a restrained in vitro trophoblast invasion. PMID:25133541

The embryonic pattern of global DNA methylation is first established in the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocyst. The methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is produced in most cells through the folate cycle, but only a few cell types generate SAM from betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) via betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), which is expressed in the mouse ICM. Here, mean ICM cell numbers decreased from 18-19 in controls to 11-13 when the folate cycle was inhibited by the antifolate methotrexate and to 12-14 when BHMT expression was knocked down by antisense morpholinos. Inhibiting both pathways, however, much more severely affected ICM development (7-8 cells). Total SAM levels in mouse blastocysts decreased significantly only when both pathways were inhibited (from 3.1 to 1.6 pmol/100 blastocysts). DNA methylation, detected as 5-methylcytosine (5-MeC) immunofluorescence in isolated ICMs, was minimally affected by inhibition of either pathway alone but decreased by at least 45-55% when both BHMT and the folate cycle were inhibited simultaneously. Effects on cell numbers and 5-MeC levels in the ICM were completely rescued by methionine (immediate SAM precursor) or SAM. Both the folate cycle and betaine/BHMT appear to contribute to a methyl pool required for normal ICM development and establishing initial embryonic DNA methylation. PMID:25466894

Single-crystal organic nanostructures show promising applications in flexible and stretchable electronics, while their applications are impeded by the large incompatibility with the well-developed photolithography techniques. Here we report a novel two-step transfer printing (TTP) method for the construction of organic nanowires (NWs) based devices onto arbitrary substrates. Copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) NWs are first transfer-printed from the growth substrate to the desired receiver substrate by contact-printing (CP) method, and then electrode arrays are transfer-printed onto the resulting receiver substrate by etching-assisted transfer printing (ETP) method. By utilizing a thin copper (Cu) layer as sacrificial layer, microelectrodes fabricated on it via photolithography could be readily transferred to diverse conventional or non-conventional substrates that are not easily accessible before with a high transfer yield of near 100%. The ETP method also exhibits an extremely high flexibility; various electrodes such as Au, Ti, and Al etc. can be transferred, and almost all types of organic devices, such as resistors, Schottky diodes, and field-effect transistors (FETs), can be constructed on planar or complex curvilinear substrates. Significantly, these devices can function properly and exhibit closed or even superior performance than the device counterparts fabricated by conventional approach.

Single-crystal organic nanostructures show promising applications in flexible and stretchable electronics, while their applications are impeded by the large incompatibility with the well-developed photolithography techniques. Here we report a novel two-step transfer printing (TTP) method for the construction of organic nanowires (NWs) based devices onto arbitrary substrates. Copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) NWs are first transfer-printed from the growth substrate to the desired receiver substrate by contact-printing (CP) method, and then electrode arrays are transfer-printed onto the resulting receiver substrate by etching-assisted transfer printing (ETP) method. By utilizing a thin copper (Cu) layer as sacrificial layer, microelectrodes fabricated on it via photolithography could be readily transferred to diverse conventional or non-conventional substrates that are not easily accessible before with a high transfer yield of near 100%. The ETP method also exhibits an extremely high flexibility; various electrodes such as Au, Ti, and Al etc. can be transferred, and almost all types of organic devices, such as resistors, Schottky diodes, and field-effect transistors (FETs), can be constructed on planar or complex curvilinear substrates. Significantly, these devices can function properly and exhibit closed or even superior performance than the device counterparts fabricated by conventional approach. PMID:24942458

Single-crystal organic nanostructures show promising applications in flexible and stretchable electronics, while their applications are impeded by the large incompatibility with the well-developed photolithography techniques. Here we report a novel two-step transfer printing (TTP) method for the construction of organic nanowires (NWs) based devices onto arbitrary substrates. Copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) NWs are first transfer-printed from the growth substrate to the desired receiver substrate by contact-printing (CP) method, and then electrode arrays are transfer-printed onto the resulting receiver substrate by etching-assisted transfer printing (ETP) method. By utilizing a thin copper (Cu) layer as sacrificial layer, microelectrodes fabricated on it via photolithography could be readily transferred to diverse conventional or non-conventional substrates that are not easily accessible before with a high transfer yield of near 100%. The ETP method also exhibits an extremely high flexibility; various electrodes such as Au, Ti, and Al etc. can be transferred, and almost all types of organic devices, such as resistors, Schottky diodes, and field-effect transistors (FETs), can be constructed on planar or complex curvilinear substrates. Significantly, these devices can function properly and exhibit closed or even superior performance than the device counterparts fabricated by conventional approach. PMID:24942458

Data transfer from one distinct mesh to another may be necessary in any number of applications, including prolongation operations supporting multigrid solution methods, spatial adaptation, remeshing, and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) and multiphysics simulation. This data transfer process is also referred to as remapping, rezoning and interpolation. Intermesh data transfer has the potential to introduce error into a simulation; the magnitude and importance of which depends on the transfer scenario and the algorithm used to perform the transfer. For a transient analysis, data transfer may occur many times during a simulation, with possible error accumulation at each transfer. The present study develops selected scenarios that illustrate data transfer error and how it might impact an analysis. This study examines remapping error by using static analytical functions to compare various remapping schemes. It also investigates the significance and nature of data transfer error for a simple multiphysics system involving a transient coupled system of partial differential equations. It concludes that remapping error can be significant both for static functions and for coupled multiphysics systems. Aggregate error is shown to be a function of remapping scheme, mesh coarseness, nature of the remapped function and mesh disparity. In cases of extreme mesh disparity, this study shows that remapping can lead to excessive error and even to solution instability. Further, this work motivates that remapping error should be included in the estimation of numerical error, if data transfer is employed in a numerical simulation.

The charge state and energy dependences of Transfer Ionization (TI) and Single Capture (SC) processes in collisions of multiply charged ions with He from intermediate to high velocities are investigated using coincident recoil ion momentum spectroscopy. The collision chamber is commissioned on the 15-degree port of a switching magnet, which allows the delivery of a beam with very little impurity. The target was provided from a supersonic He jet with a two-stage collimation. The two-stage, geometrically cooled, supersonic He jet has significantly reduced background contribution to the spectrum compared to a single stage He jet. In the case of a differentially pumped gas cell complex calculations based on assumptions for the correction due to the collisions with the contaminant beam led to corrections, which were up to 50%. The new setup allows one to make a direct separation of contaminant processes in the experimental data using the longitudinal momentum spectra. Furthermore, this correction is much smaller (about 8.8%) yielding better overall precision. The collision systems reported here are 1 MeV/u O(4--8)+ , 0.5--2.5 MeV/u F(4--9)+, 2.0 MeV/u Ti 15,17,18+, 1.6--1.75 MeV/u Cu18,20+ and 0.25--0.5 MeV/u I(15--25)+ ions interacting with helium. We have determined the sTIsSC ratio for high velocity highly charged ions on He at velocities in the range of 6 to 10 au and observed that the ratio is monotonically decreasing with velocity. Furthermore, we see a ratio that follows a q2 dependence up to approximately q = 9. Above q = 9 the experimental values exceed the q2 dependence prediction due to antiscreening. C. D. Lin and H. C. Tseng have performed coupled channel calculations for the energy dependence of TI and SC for F9+ + He and find values slightly higher than our measured values, but with approximately the same energy dependence. The new data, Si, Ti and Cu, go up only to q = 20 and show a smooth monotonically increasing TI/SC ratio. The TI/SC ratio for I (15

A large number of commercial and research line focusing solar power plants are in operation and under development. Such plants include parabolic trough collectors (PTC) or linear Fresnel using thermal oil or molten salt as the heat transfer medium (HTM). However, the continuously varying and dynamic solar condition represent a big challenge for the plant control in order to optimize its power production and to keep the operation safe. A better understanding of the behaviour of such power plants under transient conditions will help reduce defocusing instances, improve field control, and hence, increase the energy yield and confidence in this new technology. Computational methods are very powerful and cost-effective tools to gain such understanding. However, most simulation models described in literature assume equal mass flow distributions among the parallel loops in the field or totally decouple the flow and thermal conditions. In this paper, a new numerical model to simulate a whole solar field with single-phase HTM is described. The proposed model consists of a hydraulic part and a thermal part that are coupled to account for the effect of the thermal condition of the field on the flow distribution among the parallel loops. The model is specifically designed for large line-focusing solar fields offering a high degree of flexibility in terms of layout, condition of the mirrors, and spatially resolved DNI data. Moreover, the model results have been compared to other simulation tools, as well as experimental and plant data, and the results show very good agreement. The model can provide more precise data to the control algorithms to improve the plant control. In addition, short-term and accurate spatially discretized DNI forecasts can be used as input to predict the field behaviour in-advance. In this paper, the hydraulic and thermal parts, as well as the coupling procedure, are described and some validation results and results of simulating an example field are

The effect of heat and mass transfer on the ignition, and in a second step on the nitrogen oxide (NO x ) generation, of single burning droplets is examined in a numerical study. Spherical symmetry with no gravity and no forced convection is presumed; ambient temperature is set at 500 K, below the auto-ignition point. The essentials of a forced droplet ignition by an external energy source are introduced. Two methods are applied: heat introduction at a fixed radial position r and heat introduction at a fixed local equivalence ratio ϕ r . This study's distinctiveness compared to previous research is its focus on and its combination of partially pre-vaporized droplets and detailed chemistry, both being technically relevant in kerosene and diesel fuel combustion. The fuel of choice is n-decane (C10H22), and NO x production is studied exemplarily as a representative group of pollutant emissions. The conducted simulations show a decrease of NO x formation with an increase of the pre-vaporization rate Uppsi. This decrease is generally valid for both methods of heat introduction. However, results on flame stabilization and NO x production reveal a high sensitivity to parameters of the ignition model. The burning behavior during the initial stages is dominated by the ignition position. Extracting heat from the exhaust gas region of burning droplets shows no impact on the flame position nor on the relative NO x production. As a consequence, a well-founded modeling of the investigated droplet regime needs to resort to an iterative adaptation of the heat introduction parameters based on the findings of droplet burning and exhaust gas production.

Promising developments in application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have raised concern regarding potential biological and environmental effects upon their inevitable release to the environment. Although some CNTs have been reported to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light, limited information exists on ROS generation by these materials in the dark. In this study, generation of ROS was examined, initiated by electron transfer from biological electron donors through carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (C-SWCNT) to molecular oxygen in water in the dark. In the presence of C-SWCNT, the oxidation of NADH (β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form) and DTTre (DL-dithiothreitol, reduced form) was confirmed by light absorbance shifts (340 nm to 260 nm during oxidation of NADH to NAD(+), and increased light absorbance at 280 nm during oxidation of DTTre). Production of superoxide anion (O2(•-)) was detected by its selective reaction with a tetrazolium salt (NBT(2+)), forming a formazan product that is visible at 530 nm. A modified acid-quenched N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD) assay was used to measure the accumulation of H2O2 in C-SWCNT suspensions containing O2 and NADH. In the same suspensions (i.e., containing C-SWCNT, NADH, and O2), pBR322 DNA plasmid was cleaved, although •OH was not detected when using •OH scavenging molecular probes. These results indicate that the oxidation of electron donors by C-SWCNT can be a light-independent source of ROS in water, and that electron shuttling through CNTs to molecular oxygen may be a potential mechanism for DNA damage by this specific CNT and potentially other carbon-based nanomaterials. PMID:25171301

A novel ligation chain reaction (LCR) methodology for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection was developed based on luminol-H2O2-horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-mimicking DNAzyme-fluorescein chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) imaging on magnetic particles. For LCR, four unique target-complement probes (X and X(⁎), YG and Y(⁎)) for the amplification of K-ras (G12C) were designed by modifying G-quadruplex sequence at 3'-end of YG and fluorescein at 5'-end of Y(⁎). After the LCR, the resulting products of XYG/X(⁎)Y(⁎) with biotin-labeled X(⁎) were captured onto streptavidin-coated magnetic particles (SA-MPs) via specific biotin-SA interaction, which stimulated the CRET reaction from hemin/G-quadruplex-catalyzed luminol-H2O2 CL system to fluorescein. By collecting signals by a cooled low-light CCD, a CRET imaging method was proposed for visual detection and quantitative analysis of SNP. As low as 0.86fM mutant DNA was detected by this assay, and positive mutation detection was achieved with a wild-type to mutant ratio of 10,000:1. This high sensitivity and specificity could be attributed to not only the exponential amplification and excellent discrimination of LCR but also the employment of SA-MPs. SA-MPs ensured the feasibility of the proposed strategy, which also simplified the operations through magnetic separation and separated the reaction and detection procedures to improve sensitivity. The proposed LCR-CRET imaging strategy extends the application of signal amplification techniques to SNP detection, providing a promising platform for effective and high-throughput genetic diagnosis. PMID:25461149

The conversion and storage of solar energy into a fuel holds promise to provide a significant part of the future renewable energy demand of our societies. Solar energy technologies today generate heat or electricity, while the large majority of our energy is used in the form of fuels. Direct conversion of solar energy to a fuel would satisfy our needs for storable energy on a large scale. Solar fuels can be generated by absorbing light and converting its energy to chemical energy by electron transfer leading to separation of electrons and holes. The electrons are used in the catalytic reduction of a cheap substrate with low energy content into a high-energy fuel. The holes are filled by oxidation of water, which is the only electron source available for large scale solar fuel production. Absorption of a single photon typically leads to separation of a single electron-hole pair. In contrast, fuel production and water oxidation are multielectron, multiproton reactions. Therefore, a system for direct solar fuel production must be able to accumulate the electrons and holes provided by the sequential absorption of several photons in order to complete the catalytic reactions. In this Account, the process is termed accumulative charge separation. This is considerably more complicated than charge separation on a single electron level and needs particular attention. Semiconductor materials and molecular dyes have for a long time been optimized for use in photovoltaic devices. Efforts are made to develop new systems for light harvesting and charge separation that are better optimized for solar fuel production than those used in the early devices presented so far. Significant progress has recently been made in the discovery and design of better homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for solar fuels and water oxidation. While the heterogeneous ones perform better today, molecular catalysts based on transition metal complexes offer much greater tunability of electronic and

Considering the relationship between concentration and vapor pressure (or the relationship between concentration and fugacity) single-ion activity coefficients are definable in purely thermodynamic terms. The measurement process involves measuring a contact potential between a solution and an external electrode. Contact potentials are measurable by using thermodynamically reversible processes. Extrapolation of an equation to zero concentration and ionic strength enables determination of single-ion activity coefficients. Single-ion activities can be defined and measured without using any extra-thermodynamic assumptions, concepts, or measurements. This method could serve as a gold standard for the validation of extra-thermodynamic methods for determining single-ion activities. Furthermore, it places the concept of pH on a thermodynamically solid foundation. Contact potential measurements can also be used to determine the Gibbs free energy for the transfer of ions between dissimilar materials. PMID:25919971

Considering the relationship between concentration and vapor pressure (or the relationship between concentration and fugacity) single-ion activity coefficients are definable in purely thermodynamic terms. The measurement process involves measuring a contact potential between a solution and an external electrode. Contact potentials are measurable by using thermodynamically reversible processes. Extrapolation of an equation to zero concentration and ionic strength enables determination of single-ion activity coefficients. Single-ion activities can be defined and measured without using any extra-thermodynamic assumptions, concepts, or measurements. This method could serve as a gold standard for the validation of extra-thermodynamic methods for determining single-ion activities. Furthermore, it places the concept of pH on a thermodynamically solid foundation. Contact potential measurements can also be used to determine the Gibbs free energy for the transfer of ions between dissimilar materials. PMID:25919971

We report the use of poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) as a promising contact surface of transferred graphene, capable of sustaining the original performance found in as-grown graphene. Enhancement of surface tension obtained by O2 plasma treatment of the PVP surface also increases transferred graphene quality. With an easy coating method, PVP can be applied to any flexible substrate as the interlayer to increase transferred graphene quality. Owing to the mechanical flexibility and chemical inertness of PVP, the introduction of a PVP interlayer provides a general method for graphene soft electronics to be integrated into any flexible substrate.

Using a single chiral phosphoramide-Zn(II) complex as the catalyst, the asymmetric β-H transfer reduction of aromatic α-trifluoromethyl ketones and enantioselective addition of aromatic aldehydes with Et2Zn in one pot were successfully realized, affording the corresponding additive products of secondary alcohols in high yields (up to 99%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) and the reduction products of α-trifluoromethyl alcohols in good to excellent yields with up to 77% ee. PMID:26579727

In this article we probe the nature of electronic interactions between the components of hybrid C60-carbon nanotube structures. Utilizing an aromatic mediator we selectively attach C60 molecules to carbon nanotube field-effect transistor devices. Structural characterization via atomic force and transmission electron microscopy confirm the selectivity of this attachment. Charge transfer from the carbon nanotube to the C60 molecules is evidenced by a blue shift of the Raman G(+) peak position and increased threshold voltage of the transistor transfer characteristics. We estimate this charge transfer to increase the device density of holes per unit length by up to 0.85 nm(-1) and demonstrate further optically enhanced charge transfer which increases the hole density by an additional 0.16 nm(-1). PMID:24241690

We describe the synthesis and single-molecule electrical transport properties of a molecular wire containing a π-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF) group and its charge-transfer complex with F4TCNQ. We form single-molecule junctions using the in situ break junction technique using a homebuilt scanning tunneling microscope with a range of conductance between 10 G0 down to 10(-7) G0. Within this range we do not observe a clear conductance signature of the neutral parent molecule, suggesting either that its conductance is too low or that it does not form a stable junction. Conversely, we do find a clear conductance signature in the experiments carried out on the charge-transfer complex. Due to the fact we expected this species to have a higher conductance than the neutral molecule, we believe this supports the idea that the conductance of the neutral molecule is very low, below our measurement sensitivity. This idea is further supported by theoretical calculations. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first reported single-molecule conductance measurements on a molecular charge-transfer species. PMID:26199662

Summary We describe the synthesis and single-molecule electrical transport properties of a molecular wire containing a π-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF) group and its charge-transfer complex with F4TCNQ. We form single-molecule junctions using the in situ break junction technique using a homebuilt scanning tunneling microscope with a range of conductance between 10 G0 down to 10−7 G0. Within this range we do not observe a clear conductance signature of the neutral parent molecule, suggesting either that its conductance is too low or that it does not form a stable junction. Conversely, we do find a clear conductance signature in the experiments carried out on the charge-transfer complex. Due to the fact we expected this species to have a higher conductance than the neutral molecule, we believe this supports the idea that the conductance of the neutral molecule is very low, below our measurement sensitivity. This idea is further supported by theoretical calculations. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first reported single-molecule conductance measurements on a molecular charge-transfer species. PMID:26199662

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be maintained indefinitely in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and they express markers of self-renewal and pluripotency, which include the transcription factor Oct 4, STAT-3, stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-1, and alkaline phosphatase (AP). Upon removal of LIF, from the culture medium they cease to express markers such as Oct 4, rapidly losing the capacity for self-renewal and differentiating into a variety of cell types. Gene targeting is feasible in murine ES cells because these cells can be maintained in an undifferentiated state long enough to allow selection of properly targeted cell colonies with a high frequency of homologous recombination. Furthermore, blastocysts cloned from cultured murine ES cells develop to term at an efficiency (10-30%) that is three to ten times higher than blastocysts cloned from the nuclei of differentiated somatic cells. It seems likely that ES cells require less extensive reprogramming than do somatic cells, perhaps because in ES cells, many genes that are essential for early development are already active and thus do not require reactivation. Recently, we succeeded in isolating immortalized equine and bovine ES cells with a normal karyotype, that exhibit features similar to those of murine ES cells and express Oct 4, STAT-3, SSEA-1 and AP. We further confirmed the pluripotential ability of these cells, which were able to undergo somatic differentiation in vitro to neural progenitors and to endothelial or hematopoietic lineages. We were able to use bovine ES cells, as a source of nuclei for nuclear transfer (NT) and we generated cloned cattle with a higher frequency of pregnancies to term than has been achieved with differentiated somatic cells. Moreover, bovine ES cells that expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) were incorporated into both the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectdermal cells of developing blastocysts. These findings should facilitate

The aim of the study was to determine whether the selection of immature oocytes by a combination of cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) morphology and staining with brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) would be helpful in selecting developmentally competent oocytes, and thereby increase the efficiency of blastocyst production from ovarian oocytes of FSH-primed, adult goats. In a second experiment the interaction between oocyte quality and semen donor was assessed. In a third experiment the usefulness of Vero cells for co-culture with goat embryos was investigated. In the pool of morphologically normal COCs recovered from ovaries following slicing (21.9+/-11.0), the mean rate of COCs classified as BCB+ was 85.6%, and the BCB- was approximately 11%. Oocytes classified as grade 1 and BCB+ exhibited the highest developmental competence (P<0.001) after in vitro maturation and fertilization compared with oocytes of grade 1 BCB- and grade 2 BCB+ or BCB-. There were no significant differences in developmental competence in grade 2 oocytes, regardless of BCB coloration. No significant differences in embryo cleavage and blastocyst formation rates among three bucks were observed when morphologically normal, BCB+ oocytes were used. For all tested bucks, differences in embryo production efficiency were related only to the oocyte quality. Similar blastocyst rates were developed from embryos co-cultured with goat oviduct epithelial cells (34.3%) and with Vero cells (33.3%). These results show that the most important criterion for selection of COCs before maturation is the visual assessment of morphological features. Staining with BCB of COCs recovered from adult goats does not enhance efficiency of selection of developmentally competent oocytes for IVF. PMID:17651793

The present study investigated the effects of crotamine, a cell-penetrating peptide from rattlesnake venom, at different exposure times and concentrations, on both developmental competence and gene expression (ATP1A1, AQP3, GLUT1 and GLUT3) of in vitro fertilized (IVF) bovine embryos. In Experiment 1, presumptive zygotes were exposed to 0.1 μM crotamine for 6, 12 or 24 h and control groups (vehicle and IVF) were included. In Experiment 2, presumptive zygotes were exposed to 0 (vehicle), 0.1, 1 and 10 μM crotamine for 24 h. Additionally, to visualize crotamine uptake, embryos were exposed to rhodamine B-labelled crotamine and subjected to confocal microscopy. In Experiment 1, no difference (P > 0.05) was observed among different exposure times and control groups for cleavage and blastocyst rates and total cells number per blastocyst. Within each exposure time, mRNA levels were similar (P > 0.05) in embryos cultured with or without crotamine. In Experiment 2, concentrations as high as 10 μM crotamine did not affect (P > 0.05) the blastocyst rate. Crotamine at 0.1 and 10 μM did not alter mRNA levels when compared with the control (P > 0.05). Remarkably, only 1 μM crotamine decreased both ATP1A1 and AQP3 expression levels relative to the control group (P < 0.05). Also, it was possible to visualize the intracellular localization of crotamine. These results indicate that crotamine can translocate intact IVF bovine embryos and its application in the culture medium is possible at concentrations from 0.1-10 μM for 6-24 h. PMID:25532535

Pig blastocysts have the capacity to convert estradiol into catechol estrogens. Our present study shows that they also have the capacity to hydroxylate estradiol in cycloaliphatic C-atom 15, and this aliphatic hydroxylation reaction is more predominate than the aromatic hydroxylations. The conversion of [4-14C]estradiol to [4-14C]15 alpha-hydroxyestradiol by mitochondrial-rich/microsomal fractions was examined by isolation of this product using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) attached to a radiometric flow detector, and its identification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The enzyme kinetics for estrogen 15 alpha-hydroxylase were performed in the pig blastocyst obtained on Day 13 of pregnancy (Day 0 = first acceptance of the male). The enzyme follows classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The apparent Kms for estradiol were 2.47 and 1.85 microM, and the apparent Vmaxs were 0.25 and 0.197 nmol/mg/min in the mitochondrial-rich and microsomal fractions, respectively. The enzyme activity was inhibited by different steroidal compounds and non-steroidal estrogens, as well as by CO, SKF-525A, piperonyl butoxide and antibody to cytochrome P450 reductase. Ontogenesis of the blastocyst's estrogen 15 alpha-hydroxylase follows a similar pattern to that of estrogen-2/4-hydroxylase. Thus, highest activity was observed on Days 12 and 13 and lowest was on Day 15 of pregnancy. Furthermore, the enzyme is abundant primarily in the extraembryonic tissues rather than in the embryo proper. The abundance of the enzyme in the extraembryonic tissues, and its surge at a critical time of pregnancy recognition and just prior to implantation suggest that 15 alpha-hydroxylated estradiol could be involved in these processes. PMID:2155354

The transcription factor Oct4 is required in vitro for establishment and maintenance of embryonic stem cells and for reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotency. In vivo, it prevents the ectopic differentiation of early embryos into trophoblast. Here, we further explore the role of Oct4 in blastocyst formation and specification of epiblast versus primitive endoderm lineages using conditional genetic deletion. Experiments involving mouse embryos deficient for both maternal and zygotic Oct4 suggest that it is dispensable for zygote formation, early cleavage and activation of Nanog expression. Nanog protein is significantly elevated in the presumptive inner cell mass of Oct4 null embryos, suggesting an unexpected role for Oct4 in attenuating the level of Nanog, which might be significant for priming differentiation during epiblast maturation. Induced deletion of Oct4 during the morula to blastocyst transition disrupts the ability of inner cell mass cells to adopt lineage-specific identity and acquire the molecular profile characteristic of either epiblast or primitive endoderm. Sox17, a marker of primitive endoderm, is not detected following prolonged culture of such embryos, but can be rescued by provision of exogenous FGF4. Interestingly, functional primitive endoderm can be rescued in Oct4-deficient embryos in embryonic stem cell complementation assays, but only if the host embryos are at the pre-blastocyst stage. We conclude that cell fate decisions within the inner cell mass are dependent upon Oct4 and that Oct4 is not cell-autonomously required for the differentiation of primitive endoderm derivatives, as long as an appropriate developmental environment is established. PMID:24504341

The transcription factor Oct4 is required in vitro for establishment and maintenance of embryonic stem cells and for reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotency. In vivo, it prevents the ectopic differentiation of early embryos into trophoblast. Here, we further explore the role of Oct4 in blastocyst formation and specification of epiblast versus primitive endoderm lineages using conditional genetic deletion. Experiments involving mouse embryos deficient for both maternal and zygotic Oct4 suggest that it is dispensable for zygote formation, early cleavage and activation of Nanog expression. Nanog protein is significantly elevated in the presumptive inner cell mass of Oct4 null embryos, suggesting an unexpected role for Oct4 in attenuating the level of Nanog, which might be significant for priming differentiation during epiblast maturation. Induced deletion of Oct4 during the morula to blastocyst transition disrupts the ability of inner cell mass cells to adopt lineage-specific identity and acquire the molecular profile characteristic of either epiblast or primitive endoderm. Sox17, a marker of primitive endoderm, is not detected following prolonged culture of such embryos, but can be rescued by provision of exogenous FGF4. Interestingly, functional primitive endoderm can be rescued in Oct4-deficient embryos in embryonic stem cell complementation assays, but only if the host embryos are at the pre-blastocyst stage. We conclude that cell fate decisions within the inner cell mass are dependent upon Oct4 and that Oct4 is not cell-autonomously required for the differentiation of primitive endoderm derivatives, as long as an appropriate developmental environment is established. PMID:24504341

In this article we probe the nature of electronic interactions between the components of hybrid C60-carbon nanotube structures. Utilizing an aromatic mediator we selectively attach C60 molecules to carbon nanotube field-effect transistor devices. Structural characterization via atomic force and transmission electron microscopy confirm the selectivity of this attachment. Charge transfer from the carbon nanotube to the C60 molecules is evidenced by a blue shift of the Raman G+ peak position and increased threshold voltage of the transistor transfer characteristics. We estimate this charge transfer to increase the device density of holes per unit length by up to 0.85 nm-1 and demonstrate further optically enhanced charge transfer which increases the hole density by an additional 0.16 nm-1.In this article we probe the nature of electronic interactions between the components of hybrid C60-carbon nanotube structures. Utilizing an aromatic mediator we selectively attach C60 molecules to carbon nanotube field-effect transistor devices. Structural characterization via atomic force and transmission electron microscopy confirm the selectivity of this attachment. Charge transfer from the carbon nanotube to the C60 molecules is evidenced by a blue shift of the Raman G+ peak position and increased threshold voltage of the transistor transfer characteristics. We estimate this charge transfer to increase the device density of holes per unit length by up to 0.85 nm-1 and demonstrate further optically enhanced charge transfer which increases the hole density by an additional 0.16 nm-1. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: AFM line scans of the substrate before and after functionalization; scheme for measuring amorphous carbon coverage from TEM images; diameter comparisons of ac-TEM image and simulation of C60 molecule; Raman spectra D peak comparison; optical response of transfer properties of pristine devices; comparison between swept and pulsed Vg measurements

The ATP-binding cassette sub-family B member 1 (ABCB1) plays a critical role in maintaining the metabolic capability of cells as an efflux transporter that pumps xenobiotics out of cells. We investigated the effects of highly expressed ABCB1 on the development and viability of cryopreserved bovine embryos. The ABCB1 level in cultured bovine embryos was decreased during development to blastocyst-stage compared to germinal vesicle- and second metaphase-stage oocytes. When bovine embryos were cultured with forskolin and/or rifampicin, the ABCB1 level was significantly increased in blastocysts but embryo development was not significantly improved. After embryo cryopreservation, highly ABCB1-expressed blastocysts exhibited significant increases in viability and hatching rates. The high viability of the cryopreserved blastocysts was accompanied by a significant increase in cell proliferation during culture for 48 h. Thus, ABCB1 is expressed in bovine oocytes and embryos, and the cellular quality of bovine blastocysts is improved by the enhancement of ABCB1 expression. PMID:23164983

Catalytic activities of enzymes are associated with elastic conformational changes of the protein backbone. Förster-type resonance energy transfer, commonly referred to as FRET, is required in order to observe the dynamics of relative movements within the protein. Förster-type resonance energy transfer between two specifically attached fluorophores provides a ruler with subnanometer resolution between 3 and 8 nm, submillisecond time resolution for time trajectories of conformational changes, and single-molecule sensitivity to overcome the need for synchronization of various conformations. FOF1-ATP synthase is a rotary molecular machine which catalyzes the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The Escherichia coli enzyme comprises a proton driven 10 stepped rotary FO motor connected to a 3-stepped F1 motor, where ATP is synthesized. This mismatch of step sizes will result in elastic deformations within the rotor parts. We present a new single-molecule FRET approach to observe both rotary motors simultaneously in a single FOF1-ATP synthase at work. We labeled this enzyme with three fluorophores, specifically at the stator part and at the two rotors. Duty cycle-optimized with alternating laser excitation, referred to as DCO-ALEX, allowed to control enzyme activity and to unravel associated transient twisting within the rotors of a single enzyme during ATP hydrolysis and ATP synthesis. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that the rotor twisting is larger than 36 deg.

The influence of triplet levels on Förster resonance energy transfer via singlet levels in donor-acceptor (D-A) pairs is studied. Four types of D-A pair are considered: (i) two-level donor and two-level acceptor, (ii) three-level donor and two-level acceptor, (iii) two-level donor and three-level acceptor, and (iv) three-level donor and three-level acceptor. If singlet-triplet transitions in a three-level acceptor molecule are ineffective, the energy transfer efficiency E=IA/(IA+ID), where ID and IA are the average intensities of donor and acceptor fluorescence, can be described by the simple theoretical equation E(F)=FTD/(1+FTD). Here F is the rate of energy transfer, and TD is the donor fluorescence lifetime. In accordance with the last equation, 100% of the donor electronic energy can be transferred to an acceptor molecule at FTD≫1. However, if singlet-triplet transitions in a three-level acceptor molecule are effective, the energy transfer efficiency is described by another theoretical equation, E(F)=F¯(F)TD/[1+F¯(F)TD]. Here F¯(F) is a function of F depending on singlet-triplet transitions in both donor and acceptor molecules. Expressions for the functions F¯(F) are derived. In this case the energy transfer efficiency will be far from 100% even at FTD≫1. The character of the intensity fluctuations of donor and acceptor fluorescence indicates which of the two equations for E(F) should be used to find the value of the rate F. Therefore, random time instants of photon emission in both donor and acceptor fluorescence are calculated by the Monte Carlo method for all four types of D-A pair. Theoretical expressions for start-stop correlators (waiting time distributions) in donor and acceptor fluorescence are derived. The probabilities wND(t) and wNA(t) of finding N photons of donor and acceptor fluorescence in the time interval t are calculated for various values of the energy transfer rate F and for all four types of D-A pair. Comparison of the calculated D

The coordination dynamics of learning and transfer were studied in a single limb multijoint task requiring rhythmic elbow and wrist motions. Participants were required to learn a continuous 90 degrees relative phase pattern between the elbow and wrist such that an angle-angle plot of elbow and wrist motion produced a circle with a diameter of 80 degrees. Joint motion was restricted to elbow and wrist flexion-extension on the sagittal plane and the to-be-learned 90 degrees relative phase pattern was always practiced with the learning arm supine. Cycling frequency was controlled by a pacing metronome set at 0.75 Hz. Issues regarding effector-independent and effector-specific transfer were addressed with three transfer conditions: (1). learning arm prone (LP), (2). non-learning arm supine (NS), and (3). non-learning arm prone (NP). Four subjects learned the required relative phase (90 degrees ) and amplitude (80 degrees ) pattern with their dominant arm and four with their non-dominant arm. The experiment produced three main findings with regard to elbow-wrist control processes: First, seven of eight participants spontaneously produced a wrist-lagging coordination pattern (wrist motion lagged elbow motion) in learning to produce a continuous relative phase pattern of 90 degrees between the elbow and wrist. The wrist-lagging pattern may emerge as a result of the central nervous system exploiting the transfer of angular momentum from the elbow to the wrist as the elbow rotates up and down. The influence of interactive torque on elbow-wrist coordination represents an important mechanical constraint on the selection of intralimb coordination strategies during learning. The transfer conditions revealed that this mechanical constraint was effector-independent with regard to ipsilateral limb transfer (LP) and contralateral limb transfer (NS and NP). Second, consistent transfer of the learned relative phase pattern across ipsilateral and contralateral conditions demonstrates

We studied the effect of blue light (440-490 nm) on the development of late blastocysts of mice carrying the gene of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Exposure to blue light for 20 min reduced adhesive properties of blastocysts and their capacity to form primary colonies consisting of the cells of inner cell mass, trophoblast, and extraembryonic endoderm. The negative effects of blue light manifested in morphological changes in the primary colonies and impairment of differentiation and migration of cells of the trophoblast and extraembryonic endoderm. The problems of cell-cell interaction and inductive influences of the inner cell mass on other cell subpopulations are discussed. EGFP blastocysts were proposed as the model for evaluation of the mechanisms underlying the effects of blue light as the major negative factor of visible light used in in vitro experiments on mammalian embryos. PMID:24913583

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of staining with Hoechst 33342 and of the entire sorting procedure on boar sperm membrane integrity (using Annexin-V/PI), mitochondrial activity (using JC-1/SYBR/PI) and blastocyst development in vitro; the effect of storage at 17 degrees C for 24h prior to Hoechst staining and sorting was also investigated. The Hoechst staining and the whole sorting procedure reduced the percent of live spermatozoa in both fresh (day 0) and stored (day 1) semen, as determined by both assays; nevertheless, there was no increase in live sperm cells showing signs of early damage (Annexin-V positive, propidium negative), whose percentages remained nearly zero. The majority of Annexin-V positive cells were propidium positive, therefore dead. JC-1 staining evidenced a correlation between mitochondrial activity and viability. However, a significant difference between viable sperm cells and sperm cells with active mitochondria was detected in control and stained sperm, whereas almost all viable sorted spermatozoa had active mitochondria. No significant differences in the in vitro produced blastocysts both on day 0 and 1 were observed. In conclusion, despite the damages induced by sorting procedures, semen sorted as fresh or after storage at 17 degrees C can be successfully used for in vitro production of pig embryos. PMID:15935852

Electron transfer kinetics at the graphene edge site is of great interest from the viewpoints of application to sensing and energy conversion and storage. Here we analyzed kinetics of direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) adsorbed through surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate at cup-stacked carbon nanofibers (CSCNFs), which provide highly ordered graphene edges, and compared it with that at single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which consist of a rolled-up basal plane graphene. The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant of the Fe(2+/3+) couple of the HRP reaction center at CSCNFs (ca. 34.8 s(-1)) was an order of magnitude larger than that at SWCNTs (ca. 4.7 s(-1)). In addition, the overall rate constant of the electron transfer reaction from CSCNFs to HRP oxidized by H2O2 was higher than that from SWCNTs by a factor of 3. CSCNFs also allowed enhancement of the complex-formation reaction rate of HRP with H2O2, in comparison with that at SWCNTs. CSCNFs would therefore be applied to not only biosensors but also biofuel cells with enhanced performance. PMID:27529505

Graphene represents the ultimate substrate for high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, but the deposition of biological samples on this highly hydrophobic material has until now been a challenge. We present a reliable method for depositing ordered arrays of individual elongated DNA molecules on single-layer graphene substrates for high resolution electron beam imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis. This method is a necessary step towards the observation of single elongated DNA molecules with single base spatial resolution to directly read genetic and epigenetic information. PMID:21919532

Interfacial charge-transfer (ICT) transitions between wide-band-gap semiconductors such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and π-conjugated molecules enable the absorption of visible light with colorless organic compounds and also direct photoinduced electron transfers across the interfaces. ICT transitions have been reported to be induced by a double Tisbnd Osbnd C linkage of enediol compounds with two hydroxy groups to TiO2. In this Letter, we demonstrate that a single Tisbnd Osbnd C linkage of phenol with one hydroxy group can induce ICT transitions in the visible region. Our result widely opens up the range of organic compounds available for ICT transitions from diol compounds to mono-hydroxy compounds.

We present a simple and robust way to execute selective population transfer and creation of an arbitrary superposition between quantum states in a Λ-type four-level system with doublet ground states driven by a single linearly chirped pulse. It is demonstrated that the population in the initial state can be completely and flexibly transferred to either of the target states by manipulating the chirp rate and detuning of the laser pulse. Besides, the formation of an arbitrary superposition between the initial state and either of the target states through properly changing the chirp rate and detuning is also exhibited. The results of this method can be useful for selective quantum coherent control in systems with multiple target states.

The combination of zero-dimensional (0D) colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots with tin disulfide (SnS2), a two-dimensional (2D)-layered metal dichalcogenide, results in 0D-2D hybrids with enhanced light absorption properties. These 0D-2D hybrids, when exposed to light, exhibit intrahybrid nonradiative energy transfer from photoexcited CdSe/ZnS quantum dots to SnS2. Using single nanocrystal spectroscopy, we find that the rate for energy transfer in 0D-2D hybrids increases with added number of SnS2 layers, a positive manifestation toward the potential functionality of such 2D-based hybrids in applications such as photovoltaics and photon sensing. PMID:27031885

Recently, a configuration using atomic interferometers (AIs) had been suggested for the detection of gravitational waves. A new AI with some additional laser pulses for implementing large momentum transfer was also put forward, in order to reduce the effect of shot noise and laser frequency noise. We use a sensitivity function to analyze all possible configurations of the new AI and to distinguish how many momenta are transferred in a specific configuration. By analyzing the new configuration, we further explore a detection scheme for gravitational waves, in particular, that ameliorates laser frequency noise. We find that the amelioration occurs in such a scheme, but novelly, in some cases, the frequency noise can be canceled completely by using a proper data processing method. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

We report highly efficient non-radiative energy transfer from cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots to monolayer and few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). The quenching of the donor quantum dot photoluminescence increases as the MoS2 flake thickness decreases, with the highest efficiency (>95%) observed for monolayer MoS2. This counterintuitive result arises from reduced dielectric screening in thin layer semiconductors having unusually large permittivity and a strong in-plane transition dipole moment, as found in MoS2. Excitonic energy transfer between a 0D emitter and a 2D absorber is fundamentally interesting and enables a wide range of applications including broadband optical down-conversion, optical detection, photovoltaic sensitization, and color shifting in light-emitting devices.

Carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli have been a global concern over the past 2 decades because these organisms can cause severe infections with high mortality rates. Carbapenemase genes are often carried by mobile genetic elements, and resistance plasmids can be transferred through conjugation. We conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to demonstrate that the same plasmid harboring a metallo-β-lactamase gene was detected in two different species isolated from a single patient. Metallo-β-lactamase-producing Achromobacter xylosoxidans (KUN4507), non-metallo-β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KUN4843), and metallo-β-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae (KUN5033) were sequentially isolated from a single patient and then analyzed in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular typing (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing), and conjugation analyses were performed by conventional methods. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analysis of K. pneumoniae isolates were performed with WGS, and the nucleotide sequences of plasmids detected from these isolates were determined using WGS. Conventional molecular typing revealed that KUN4843 and KUN5033 were identical, whereas the phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a slight difference. These two isolates were separated from the most recent common ancestor 0.74 years before they were isolated. The same resistance plasmid harboring blaIMP-19 was detected in metallo-β-lactamase-producing A. xylosoxidans and K. pneumoniae Although this plasmid was not self-transferable, the conjugation of this plasmid from A. xylosoxidans to non-metallo-β-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae was successfully performed. The susceptibility patterns for metallo-β-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae and the transconjugant were similar. These findings supported the possibility of the horizontal transfer of plasmid-borne blaIMP-19 from A. xylosoxidans to K. pneumoniae in a single patient. PMID:27381397

We present a fundamental investigation on the impact of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) on the film structure and redox behaviour of tetraaminophthalocyaninatonickel(II) complex (NiTAPc) electropolymer immobilized on a basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (BPPGE). SWCNT induces crystallinity on the NiTAPc electropolymeric film structure and increases its apparent electron transfer rate constant ( kapp). We proved that there is potential advantage of using electrode based on the SWCNT- poly-NiTAPc hybrid for catalytic and sensing applications as it enhances the catalytic current for the detection of nitric oxide more than twice compared to bare BPPGE, BPPGE-SWCNT and other electrodes without SWCNTs.

Single-emitting layer hybrid white organic light-emitting diodes (SEL-hybrid-WOLEDs) usually suffer from low efficiency, significant roll-off, and poor color stability, attributed to the incomplete energy transfer from the triplet states of the blue fluorophores to the phosphors. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient SEL-hybrid-WOLEDs with low roll-off and good color-stability utilizing blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials as the host emitters. The triplet states of the blue TADF host emitter can be up-converted into its singlet states, and then the energy is transferred to the complementary phosphors through the long-range Förster energy transfer, enhancing the energy transfer from the host to the dopant. Simplified SEL-hybrid-WOLEDs achieve the highest forward-viewing external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 20.8% and power efficiency of 51.2 lm/W with CIE coordinates of (0.398, 0.456) at a luminance of 500 cd/m(2). The device EQE only slightly drops to 19.6% at a practical luminance of 1000 cd/m(2) with a power efficiency of 38.7 lm/W. Furthermore, the spectra of the device are rather stable with the raising voltage. The reason can be assigned to the enhanced Förster energy transfer, wide charge recombination zone, as well as the bipolar charge transporting ability of the host emitter. We believe that our work may shed light on the future development of highly efficient SEL-hybrid-WOLEDs with simultaneous low roll-off and good color stability. PMID:26642836

Differentiated somatic cells can be reprogrammed into totipotent embryos through somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, most cloned embryos arrest at early stages and the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unexplored. Here, we first developed a somatic cell nuclear transfer embryo biopsy system at two- or four-cell stage, which allows us to trace the developmental fate of the biopsied embryos precisely. Then, through single-cell transcriptome sequencing of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos with different developmental fates, we identified that inactivation of Kdm4b, a histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation demethylase, functions as a barrier for two-cell arrest of cloned embryos. Moreover, we discovered that inactivation of another histone demethylase Kdm5b accounts for the arrest of cloned embryos at the four-cell stage through single-cell analysis. Co-injection of Kdm4b and Kdm5b can restore transcriptional profiles of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos and greatly improve the blastocyst development (over 95%) as well as the production of cloned mice. Our study therefore provides an effective approach to identify key factors responsible for the developmental arrest of somatic cell cloned embryos. PMID:27462457

Differentiated somatic cells can be reprogrammed into totipotent embryos through somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, most cloned embryos arrest at early stages and the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unexplored. Here, we first developed a somatic cell nuclear transfer embryo biopsy system at two- or four-cell stage, which allows us to trace the developmental fate of the biopsied embryos precisely. Then, through single-cell transcriptome sequencing of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos with different developmental fates, we identified that inactivation of Kdm4b, a histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation demethylase, functions as a barrier for two-cell arrest of cloned embryos. Moreover, we discovered that inactivation of another histone demethylase Kdm5b accounts for the arrest of cloned embryos at the four-cell stage through single-cell analysis. Co-injection of Kdm4b and Kdm5b can restore transcriptional profiles of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos and greatly improve the blastocyst development (over 95%) as well as the production of cloned mice. Our study therefore provides an effective approach to identify key factors responsible for the developmental arrest of somatic cell cloned embryos. PMID:27462457

Singly and doubly charged adducts of LiCl with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) of the type (βCD)(LiCl)(n)Li(+) and (βCD)2(LiCl)(p)Li2(2+) were studied using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Insight into their structural composition was gained by analysis of their collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra. The conditions the ions experience in the transfer region interfacing the ESI source and the mass analyzer were found to have a marked influence on the nature of the detected ions. In one instrument incorporating a single skimmer, individually attached LiCl ion pairs were observed, whereas the dual funnel ion guides of the second instrument allow the detection of previously unknown labile inclusion complexes of (LiCl)n clusters in βCD. PMID:25895893

Singly and doubly charged adducts of LiCl with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) of the type (βCD)(LiCl)nLi+ and (βCD)2(LiCl)pLi2 2+ were studied using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Insight into their structural composition was gained by analysis of their collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra. The conditions the ions experience in the transfer region interfacing the ESI source and the mass analyzer were found to have a marked influence on the nature of the detected ions. In one instrument incorporating a single skimmer, individually attached LiCl ion pairs were observed, whereas the dual funnel ion guides of the second instrument allow the detection of previously unknown labile inclusion complexes of (LiCl)n clusters in βCD.

Single crystals of proustite Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} have been characterised by impedance spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the temperature ranges of 295-543 and 295-695 K, respectively. An analysis of the one-particle potential of silver atoms shows that in the whole measuring temperature range defects in the silver substructure play a major role in the conduction mechanism. Furthermore, the silver transfer is equally probable within silver chains and spirals, as well as between chains and spirals. The trigonal R3c room temperature phase does not change until the decomposition of the crystal. The electric anomaly of the first-order character which appears near 502 K is related to an increase in the electronic component of the total conductivity resulting from Ag{sub 2}S deposition at the sample surface. - Joint probability density function map of silver atoms at T=695 K.

In this paper, we analyzed the heat and mass transfer at a free surface under microgravity conditions. The SOURCE-II (Sounding Rocket COMPERE Experiment) experiment was performed on a suborbital flight in February 2012 from Esrange in North Sweden. It provided representative data with respect to solid, liquid, and vapor temperatures as well as the visible surface position. The objectives were to quantify the deformation of the free liquid surface and to correlate the apparent contact angle to a characteristic temperature difference between subcooled liquid and superheated wall. Furthermore, the influence of evaporation and condensation at the liquid/vapor interface and at the superheated wall must be taken into account to analyze heat and mass fluxes due to a characteristic temperature difference. In the following, we show evidently that the magnitude of the apparent contact angle depends on the exerted specific pressurizations of the vapor phase during the experiment and hence on the change in the saturation temperature at the free surface. The characteristic temperature difference is defined with respect to the wall temperature in the vicinity of the contact line and the saturation temperature. Therefore, apparent contact angle and temperature difference can be correlated and indicate a specific characteristic. Concerning the heat and mass transfer at the free liquid surface and the contact line, two different methods are presented to evaluate the net mass due to phase change within a certain time interval. In the first approach, the mass flow rate is calculated by means of the ideal gas law and its derivatives with respect to temperature and pressure. The second approach calculates the heat flux as well as the mass flux at the wall and in the region of the free liquid surface. In these cases, a specific heat transfer coefficient and a thermal boundary layer thickness are used.

Ho3+/Yb3+ co-doped LiYF4 single crystals with various Yb3+ concentrations and ˜ 0.98 mol% Ho3+ concentration are grown by the Bridgman method under the conditions of taking LiF and YF3 as raw materials and a temperature gradient (40 °C/cm-50 °C/cm) for the solid-liquid interface. The luminescent performances of the crystals are investigated through emission spectra, infrared transmittance spectrum, emission cross section, and decay curves under excitation by 980 nm. Compared with the Ho3+ single-doped LiYF4 crystal, the Ho3+/Yb3+ co-doped LiYF4 single crystal has an obviously enhanced emission band from 1850 nm to 2150 nm observed when excited by a 980-nm diode laser. The energy transfer from Yb3+ to Ho3+ and the optimum fluorescence emission around 2.0 μm of Ho3+ ions are investigated. The maximum emission cross section of the above sample at 2.0 μm is calculated to be 1.08×10-20 cm2 for the LiYF4 single crystal of 1-mol% Ho3+ and 6-mol% Yb3+ according to the measured absorption spectrum. The high energy transfer efficiency of 88.9% from Yb3+ to Ho3+ ion in the sample co-doped by Ho3+ (1 mol%) and Yb3+ (8 mol%) demonstrates that the Yb3+ ions can efficiently sensitize the Ho3+ ions. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51472125 and 51272109) and the K.C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University, China (Grant No. NBUWC001).

Nitric oxide production, catalyzed by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), should be strictly regulated to allow embryo implantation. Thus, our first aim was to study NOS activity during peri-implantation in the rat uterus. Day 6 inter-implantation sites showed lower NOS activity (0.19±0.01 pmoles L-citrulline mg prot−1 h−1) compared to days 4 (0.34±0.03) and 5 (0.35±0.02) of pregnancy and to day 6 implantation sites (0.33±0.01). This regulation was not observed in pseudopregnancy. Both dormant and active blastocysts maintained NOS activity at similar levels. Anandamide (AEA), an endocannabinoid, binds to cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2), and high concentrations are toxic for implantation and embryo development. Previously, we observed that AEA synthesis presents an inverted pattern compared to NOS activity described here. We adopted a pharmacological approach using AEA, URB-597 (a selective inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase, the enzyme that degrades AEA) and receptor selective antagonists to investigate the effect of AEA on uterine NOS activity in vitro in rat models of implantation. While AEA (0.70±0.02 vs 0.40±0.04) and URB-597 (1.08±0.09 vs 0.83±0.06) inhibited NOS activity in the absence of a blastocyst (pseudopregnancy) through CB2 receptors, AEA did not modulate NOS on day 5 pregnant uterus. Once implantation begins, URB-597 decreased NOS activity on day 6 implantation sites via CB1 receptors (0.25±0.04 vs 0.40±0.05). While a CB1 antagonist augmented NOS activity on day 6 inter-implantation sites (0.17±0.02 vs 0.27±0.02), a CB2 antagonist decreased it (0.17±0.02 vs 0.12±0.01). Finally, we described the expression and localization of cannabinoid receptors during implantation. In conclusion, AEA levels close to and at implantation sites seems to modulate NOS activity and thus nitric oxide production, fundamental for implantation, via cannabinoid receptors. This modulation depends on the presence of the blastocyst. These data

In Exp. 1, 5-8-cell embryos from superovulated cattle were co-cultured with oviducal tissue suspended in Ham's F10 + 10% fetal calf serum (F10FCS) or in F10FCS alone. After 4 days, the proportion of embryos developing into compact morulae or blastocysts was greater (P less than 0.005) in co-culture (38/82; 46%) than in F10FCS (1/27; 4%). In Exp. 2, a solution of collagenase, trypsin, DNAse and EDTA was used to disperse oviducal tissue, which was then cultured in TCM199 + 10% fetal calf serum (M199FCS) to obtain monolayers. Embryos (1-8 cells) were then co-cultured with monolayers or in M199FCS alone. The proportion of embryos developing into compact morulae and blastocysts after 4-5 days was higher (P less than 0.005) in co-culture (15/34; 43%) than in M199FCS (1/37; 3%); mean numbers of cells/embryo were also higher (P less than 0.001) (27.70; range 2-82 in co-culture; 8.83; range 2-18 in M199FCS). In Exp. 3, embryos obtained from in-vitro maturation and fertilization were used to compare development between co-culture and medium conditioned by oviducal tissue. Initial cleavage rate (no. embryos greater than 1 cell/total) was 76% (611/807) and did not differ among treatments. After 5 days, the proportion cleaving to greater than 16 cells was higher (P less than 0.005) in co-culture (71/203; 35%) and conditioned medium (48/205; 23%) compared to M199FCS (14/203; 7%). Similarly, the proportion developing into compact morulae and blastocysts was greater (P less than 0.005) in co-culture (44/203; 22%) and conditioned medium (46/205; 22%) than in M199FCS (7/203; 3%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:2704004

The trophoblast (TR) is the first to differentiate during mammalian embryogenesis and play a pivotal role in the development of the placenta. We used a dual inhibitor system (PD0325901 and CHIR99021) with mixed feeders to successfully obtain bovine trophoblast stem-like (bTS) cells, which were similar in phenotype to mouse trophoblast stem cells (TSCs). The bTS cells that were generated using this system continually proliferated, displayed a normal diploid karyotype, and had no signs of altered morphology or differentiation even after 150 passages. These cells exhibited alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and expressed pluripotency markers, such as OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, SSEA-1, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81, and TR lineage markers such as CDX2, as determined by both immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Additionally, these cells generated dome-like structures, formed teratomas when injected into NOD-SCID mice, and differentiated into placenta TR cells in vitro. The microarray analysis of bTS cells showed high expression levels of many TR markers, such as TEAD4, EOMES, GATA3, ETS2, TFAP2A, ELF5, SMARCA4 (BRG1), CDH3, MASH2, HSD17B1, CYP11A1, PPARG, ID2, GCM1, HAND1, TDK, PAG, IFN-τ, and THAP11. The expression of many pluripotency markers, such as OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and GDF3, was lower in bTS cells compared with in vitro-produced blastocysts; however, compared with bovine fetal fibroblasts, the expression of these pluripotency markers was elevated in bTS cells. The DNA methylation status of the promoter regions of OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 was investigated, which were significantly higher in bTS cells (OCT4 23.90%, NANOG 74.40%, and SOX2 8.50%) compared with blastocysts (OCT4 8.90%, NANOG 34.4%, and SOX2 3.80%). In contrast, two promoter regions of CDX2 were hypomethylated in bTS cells (13.80% and 3.90%) compared with blastocysts (18.80% and 9.10%). The TSC lines that were established in this study may be used either for basic

The interaction of actin and spin-labeled heavy meromyosin (MSL-HMM) was studied in the presence and absence of adenosine diphosphate or 5'-adenyl-yl-imidodiphosphate (AMPPNP) to determine the contributions of single and double-headed binding. The extent of single-headed binding to actin was deduced from a comparison of the fraction of immobilized heads (fi) with the fraction of bound molecules (fs) determined by saturation-transfer EPR (ST-EPR) and sedimentation, respectively. The ST-EPR measurements depend on the reduced motion of the spin label rigidly bound to the HMM heads upon the interaction of the latter with actin. During titration of acto-MSL-HMM with nucleotide, we measured changes in fi and fs brought about by dissociation of MSL-HMM from actin. On titration with ADP, fs changed very little, remaining above 0.8, while fi decreased to approximately 0.5 at 10mM ADP, a result consistent with extensive single-headed binding of MSL-HMM to actin. On titration with AMPPNP, single-headed binding was not detected; viz., fi and fs decreased in parallel. It was not necessary to postulate a nucleotide induced state of the bound heads, differing in motional properties from that of rigor heads, to account for the results. PMID:3017466

A novel low-temperature technique for transferring a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer with a midair cavity (supported by narrow SiO2 columns) by meniscus force has been proposed, and a single-crystalline Si (c-Si) film with a midair cavity formed in dog-bone shape was successfully transferred to a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate at its heatproof temperature or lower. By applying this proposed transfer technique, high-performance c-Si-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors were successfully fabricated on the PET substrate. The key processes are the thermal oxidation and subsequent hydrogen annealing of the SOI layer on the midair cavity. These processes ensure a good MOS interface, and the SiO2 layer works as a “blocking” layer that blocks contamination from PET. The fabricated n- and p-channel c-Si thin-film transistors (TFTs) on the PET substrate showed field-effect mobilities of 568 and 103 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively.

Energy transfer mechanisms in noncovalently bound bacteriorhodopsin/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) hybrids are investigated using optical absorption and photoluminescence excitation measurements. The morphology of the hybrids was investigated by atomic force microscopy. In this study, proteins are immobilized onto the sidewall of the carbon nanotubes using a sodium cholate suspension-dialysis method that maintains the intrinsic optical and fluorescence properties of both molecules. The hybrids are stable in aqueous solutions for pH ranging from 4.2 to 9 and exhibit photoluminescence properties that are pH-dependent. The study reveals that energy transfer from bacteriorhodopsin to carbon nanotubes takes place. So, at pH higher than 5 and up to 9, the SWNTs absorb the photons emitted by the aromatic residues of the protein, inducing a strong increase in intensity of the E11 emissions of SWNTs through their E33 and E44 excitations. From pH = 4.2 to pH = 5, the protein fluorescence is strongly quenched whatever the emission wavelengths, while additional fluorescence features appear at excitation wavelengths ranging from 660 to 680 nm and at 330 nm. The presence of these features is attributed to a resonance energy transfer mechanism that has an efficiency of 0.94 ± 0.02. More, by increasing the pH of the dispersion, the fluorescence characteristics become those observed at higher pH values and vice versa. PMID:24011351

We report a low-temperature (350 °C) anodic bonding followed by grind/etch-back method for a 200 mm wafer-scale epitaxial transfer of ultrathin (1.9 kÅ) single crystalline Si on Pyrex glass. Standard back-end-of-line 3 kÅ SiN/3 kÅ undoped silicon glass passivating films were used as the buffer layers between the silicon-on-insulator wafer and the glass wafer. The quality and strain-free state of the transferred transparent Si film to glass was characterized by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution XRD. Complete removal of the bulk Si after bonding was ascertained by Auger electron spectroscopy spectra and depth profiling. Strong adhesion between the transferred film and the glass wafer was verified by standard tape adhesion tests. This process will pave the way for future generations of Si-based microelectronics including bioelectronics.

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of cryopreservation of inter-subspecies cloned embryos in buffalo. In our experiment, river buffalo ear fibroblast nucleus was fused into swamp buffalo oocyte cytoplasm. The blastocyst formation rate for nuclear transfer of freshly thawed cells was not different from those of growing cells, confluent or serum-starved cells. A total of 122 cloned blastocysts derived from cryopreserved fibroblasts were cryopreserved and thawed, 37 were survived, the cryosurvival rate was 30.3%. The survived blastocysts were transferred into 15 recipient buffalos. Five of the recipients established pregnancy, but four of them aborted on day 53, 59, 145 and 179 of gestation respectively. One cross-bred buffalo (Murrah × Swamp buffalo (2n = 49) received three embryos delivered a 40.5 kg female calf by natural delivery on day 320 of gestation. Up to now (13-month old), the cloned calf has been growing well with no abnormity observed. These results demonstrated that cryopreservation of inter-subspecies cloned embryos is feasible to produce buffalo offspring. PMID:19788521

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The adoptive transfer of donor-derived viral-specific cytotoxic T-cells (VSTs) is an effective treatment for controlling CMV and EBV infections after HSCT; however, new practical methods are required to augment the ex vivo manufacture of multi-VSTs from healthy donors. This study investigated the effects of a single exercise bout on the ex vivo manufacture of multi-VSTs. PBMCs isolated from healthy CMV/EBV seropositive participants before (PRE) and immediately after (POST) 30-minutes of cycling exercise were stimulated with CMV (pp65 and IE1) and EBV (LMP2A and BMLF1) peptides and expanded over 8 days. The number (fold difference from PRE) of T-cells specific for CMV pp65 (2.6), EBV LMP2A (2.5), and EBV BMLF1 (4.4) was greater among the VSTs expanded POST. VSTs expanded PRE and POST had similar phenotype characteristics and were equally capable of MHC-restricted killing of autologous target cells. We conclude that a single exercise bout enhances the manufacture of multi-VSTs from healthy donors without altering their phenotype or function and may serve as a simple and economical adjuvant to boost the production of multi-VSTs for allogeneic adoptive transfer immunotherapy. PMID:27181409

The ultrasonic nebulization extraction-heating gas flow transfer coupled with headspace single drop microextraction (UNE-HGFT-HS-SDME) was developed for the extraction of essential oil from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to the determination of the constituents in the essential oil. The contents of the constituents from essential oil obtained by the proposed method were found to be more similar to those obtained by hydro-distillation (HD) than those obtained by ultrasonic nebulization extraction coupled with headspace single drop microextraction (UNE-HS-SDME). The heating gas flow was firstly used in the analysis of the essential oil to transfer the analytes from the headspace to the solvent microdrop. The relative standard deviations for determining the five major constituents were in the range from 1.5 to 6.7%. The proposed method is a fast, sensitive, low cost and small sample consumption method for the determination of the volatile and semivolatile constituents in the plant materials. PMID:21652044

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The adoptive transfer of donor-derived viral-specific cytotoxic T-cells (VSTs) is an effective treatment for controlling CMV and EBV infections after HSCT; however, new practical methods are required to augment the ex vivo manufacture of multi-VSTs from healthy donors. This study investigated the effects of a single exercise bout on the ex vivo manufacture of multi-VSTs. PBMCs isolated from healthy CMV/EBV seropositive participants before (PRE) and immediately after (POST) 30-minutes of cycling exercise were stimulated with CMV (pp65 and IE1) and EBV (LMP2A and BMLF1) peptides and expanded over 8 days. The number (fold difference from PRE) of T-cells specific for CMV pp65 (2.6), EBV LMP2A (2.5), and EBV BMLF1 (4.4) was greater among the VSTs expanded POST. VSTs expanded PRE and POST had similar phenotype characteristics and were equally capable of MHC-restricted killing of autologous target cells. We conclude that a single exercise bout enhances the manufacture of multi-VSTs from healthy donors without altering their phenotype or function and may serve as a simple and economical adjuvant to boost the production of multi-VSTs for allogeneic adoptive transfer immunotherapy. PMID:27181409

Purpose To determine the effects of α-tocopherol supplementation to oocyte maturation media and embryo culture media on the yield of ovine embryos. Methods α-tocopherol, at concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 500 µM was supplemented to ovine oocyte or embryo culture media and cultured at 5% or 20% O2 levels. Percentages of cleavage, morula and blastocyst, total cell count and comet assay were taken as indicators of developmental competence of embryos. Results 200 µM α-tocopherol in embryo culture medium at 20% O2 level significantly increased the rates of cleavage (P blastocyst (P blastocyst total cell number (P blastocyst formation were also significantly higher in 100 µM (P

ApcE(1-240) dimers with one intrinsic phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore in each monomer that is truncated from the core-membrane linker (ApcE) of phycobilisomes (PBS) in Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 show a sharp and significantly red-shifted absorption. Two explanations either conformation-dependent Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or the strong exciton coupling limit have been proposed for red-shifted absorption. This is a classic example of the special pair in the photosynthetic light harvesting proteins, but the mechanism of this interaction is still a matter of intense debate. We report the studies using single-molecule and transient absorption spectra on the interaction in the special pair of ApcE dimers. Our results demonstrate the presence of conformation-dependent FRET between the two PCB chromophores in ApcE dimers. The broad distributions of fluorescence intensities, lifetimes and polarization difference from single-molecule measurements reveal the heterogeneity of local protein-pigment environments in ApcE dimers, where the same molecular structures but different protein environments are the main reason for the two PCB chromophores with different spectral properties. The excitation energy transfer rate between the donor and the acceptor about (110 ps)(-1) is determined from transient absorption measurements. The red-shifted absorption in ApcE dimers could result from more extending conformation, which shows another type of absorption redshift that does not depend on strong exciton coupling. The results here stress the importance of conformation-controlled spectral properties of the chemically identical chromophores, which could be a general feature to control energy/electron transfer, widely existing in the light harvesting complexes. PMID:25925197

A battery of thermodynamic, kinetic, and structural approaches has indicated that the small α-helical protein BBL folds-unfolds via the one-state downhill scenario. Yet, single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy offers a more conflicting view. Single-molecule experiments at pH 6 show a unique half-unfolded conformational ensemble at mid denaturation, whereas other experiments performed at higher pH show a bimodal distribution, as expected for two-state folding. Here we use thermodynamic and laser T-jump kinetic experiments combined with theoretical modeling to investigate the pH dependence of BBL stability, folding kinetics and mechanism within the pH 6–11 range. We find that BBL unfolding is tightly coupled to the protonation of one of its residues with an apparent pKa of ∼7. Therefore, in chemical denaturation experiments around neutral pH BBL unfolds gradually, and also converts in binary fashion to the protonated species. Moreover, under the single-molecule experimental conditions (denaturant midpoint and 279 K), we observe that proton transfer is much slower than the ∼15 microseconds folding-unfolding kinetics of BBL. The relaxation kinetics is distinctly biphasic, and the overall relaxation time (i.e. 0.2–0.5 ms) becomes controlled by the proton transfer step. We then show that a simple theoretical model of protein folding coupled to proton transfer explains quantitatively all these results as well as the two sets of single-molecule experiments, including their more puzzling features. Interestingly, this analysis suggests that BBL unfolds following a one-state downhill folding mechanism at all conditions. Accordingly, the source of the bimodal distributions observed during denaturation at pH 7–8 is the splitting of the unique conformational ensemble of BBL onto two slowly inter-converting protonation species. Both, the unprotonated and protonated species unfold gradually (one-state downhill), but they exhibit different degree of unfolding at any

We extend the transfer matrix method of one-dimensional hard core fluids placed between confining walls for that case where the particles can pass each other and at most two layers can form. We derive an eigenvalue equation for a quasi-one-dimensional system of hard squares confined between two parallel walls, where the pore width is between σ and 3σ (σ is the side length of the square). The exact equation of state and the nearest neighbor distribution functions show three different structures: a fluid phase with one layer, a fluid phase with two layers, and a solid-like structure where the fluid layers are strongly correlated. The structural transition between differently ordered fluids develops continuously with increasing density, i.e., no thermodynamic phase transition occurs. The high density structure of the system consists of clusters with two layers which are broken with particles staying in the middle of the pore.

The hormone leptin, which is primarily produced by adipose tissue, is a critical permissive factor for multiple reproductive events in the mouse, including implantation. In the CD1 strain, maternally-derived leptin from the oocyte becomes differentially distributed among blastomeres of pre-implantation embryos to create a polarized pattern, a feature consistent with a model of development in which blastomeres are biased towards a particular fate as early as the 2-cell stage. Here, we have confirmed that embryonic leptin is of maternal origin and re-examined leptin distribution in two distinct strains in which embryos were derived after either normal ovulation or superovulation. A polarized pattern of leptin distribution was found in the majority of both CD1 and CF1 embryos (79.1 % and 76.9 %, respectively) collected following superovulation, but was reduced, particularly in CF1 embryos (29.8 %; p < 0.0001), after natural ovulation. The difference in leptin asymmetries in the CF1 strain arose between ovulation and the first cleavage division, and was not affected by removal of the zona pellucida. Presence or absence of leptin polarization was not linked to differences in ability of embryos to develop normally to blastocyst. In the early blastocyst, leptin was confined subcortically to trophectoderm but upon blastocoel expansion it was lost from cells. Throughout development leptin co-localized with LRP2, a multi-ligand transport protein, and its patterning resembled that noted for the maternal-effect proteins OOEP, NLRP5, and PADI6, suggesting that it is a component of the subcortical maternal complex with as yet unknown significance in pre-implantation development. PMID:21444625

Trophoblasts (TR) are specialized cells of the placenta and play an important role in embryo implantation. The in vitro culture of trophoblasts provided an important tool to investigate the mechanisms of implantation. In the present study, porcine trophoblast cells were derived from pig in vitro fertilized (IVF) and parthenogenetically activated (PA) blastocysts via culturing in medium supplemented with KnockOut serum replacement (KOSR) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on STO feeder layers, and the effect of ROCK (Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinases) inhibiter Y-27632 on the cell lines culture was tested. 5 PA blastocyst derived cell lines and 2 IVF blastocyst derived cell lines have been cultured more than 20 passages; one PA cell lines reached 110 passages without obvious morphological alteration. The derived trophoblast cells exhibited epithelium-like morphology, rich in lipid droplets, and had obvious defined boundaries with the feeder cells. The cells were histochemically stained positive for alkaline phosphatase. The expression of TR lineage markers, such as CDX2, KRT7, KRT18, TEAD4, ELF5 and HAND1, imprinted genes such as IGF2, PEG1 and PEG10, and telomerase activity related genes TERC and TERF2 were detected by immunofluorescence staining, reverse transcription PCR and quantitative real-time PCR analyses. Both PA and IVF blastocysts derived trophoblast cells possessed the ability to differentiate into mature trophoblast cells in vitro. The addition of Y-27632 improved the growth of both PA and IVF blastocyst derived cell lines and increased the expression of trophoblast genes. This study has provided an alternative highly efficient method to establish trophoblast for research focused on peri-implantation and placenta development in IVF and PA embryos. PMID:26555939

The morphogenetic function of the transient phase of cell death that occurs during blastocyst maturation is not known but it is thought that its regulation results from a delicate balance between survival and lethal signals in the uterine milieu. In this paper, we show that blastocysts from diabetic rats have a higher incidence of dead cells than control embryos. Differential lineage staining indicated that increased nuclear fragmentation occurred mainly in the inner cell mass. In addition, terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) demonstrated an increase in the incidence of non-fragmented DNA-damaged nuclei in these blastocysts. Analysis of the expression of clusterin, a gene associated with apoptosis, by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction detected an increase in the steady-state level of its transcripts in blastocysts from diabetic rats. In situ hybridization revealed that about half the cells identified as expressing clusterin mRNA exhibited signs of nuclear fragmentation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that high D-glucose increased nuclear fragmentation, TUNEL labeling and clusterin transcription. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a cytokine whose synthesis is up-regulated in the diabetic uterus, did not induce nuclear fragmentation nor clusterin expression but increased the incidence of TUNEL-positive nuclei. The data suggest that excessive cell death in the blastocyst, most probably resulting from the overstimulation of a basal suicidal program by such inducers as glucose and TNF-alpha, may be a contributing factor of the early embryopathy associated with maternal diabetes. PMID:9428419

The HYDRA computer code was used to simulate the thermal performance of an actual and a model spent fuel assembly. The HYDRA-predicted temperatures were then compared with measured data from two single-assembly test sections. The objective of this effort was to further verify the predictive capabilities of the HYDRA code for use in assessments of the hydrothermal performance of spent fuel dry storage systems. After HYDRA has been adequately evaluated and validated, the code will be documented to permit design and licensing safety analyses.

Abstract To examine the genomic reprogrammability of trophoblast stem (TS) cells using a nuclear transfer technique, we produced TS cloned embryos using five TS cell lines from three strains of mice (ICR, B6D2F1, and B6CBF1) as donors and observed developmental ability during preimplantation development. The developmental rates of the TS cloned embryos that developed to the two-cell, four- to eight-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages were 58–83%, 0–38.6%, 0–21.3%, and 0–15.9%, respectively, indicating that more than 50% of TS cloned embryos arrested at the two-cell stage. These TS cloned two-cell embryos were expressed low level of Dappa3 (also known as PGC7/Stella), indicating that zygotic gene activation (ZGA) was disrupted in these embryos. However, a small portion of the TS cloned embryos (0–15.9%) reached the blastocyst stage. In these TS cloned blastocysts, the numbers of trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) cells were 31.9±4.6 and 12.1±3.0, respectively, which were not significantly different from those in the fertilized embryos. In addition, the gene expression analysis showed that Oct3/4, and Cdx2, which are ICM- and TE-specific marker genes, respectively, and Dppa3, and Hdac1, which are zygotic gene activation-related genes, were expressed in TS cloned blastocysts at the same levels as in the fertilized blastocysts. These results indicate that although TS cloned embryos are able to differentiate into ICM cells, the genomic reprogrammability of TS cells is very low following nuclear transfer. PMID:25826724

Experimental studies and numerical simulation of growth and lift-off processes of single bubbles formed on designed nucleation sites have been conducted under low-gravity conditions. Merging of multiple bubbles and lift-off processes during boiling of water in the parabola flights of KC-135 aircraft were also experimentally studied. The heating area of the flat heater surface was discretized and equipped with a number of small heating elements that were separately powered in the temperature-control mode. As such, the wall superheat remained nearly constant during the growth and departure of the bubbles, whereas the local heat flux varied during the boiling process. From numerical calculation it is found that peak of heat flux occurs locally at the contact line of bubble and heater surface. Dry conditions exist inside the bubble base area, which is characterized through a zero heat flux region in the numerical calculation and a lower heat flux period in the experimental results. During the merger of multiple bubbles, dry-out continues. In both the numerical calculations and experimental results, the bubble lift-off is associated with an apparent increase in heat flux. Wall heat flux variation with time and spatial distribution during the growth of a single bubble from numerical simulations are compared with experimental data. PMID:12446337

A novel single-phased tunable emitting phosphor MgY2Si3O10: Bi(3+), Eu(3+) has been synthesized by a conventional high temperature solid-state method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra were utilized to characterize the as-synthesized samples. Under UV-light pumping, MgY2Si3O10: Bi(3+) showed characteristic blue emission corresponding to the (3)P1→(1)S0 transition of Bi(3+) ions, and MgY2Si3O10: Eu(3+) showed characteristic red emission corresponding to the (5)D0→(7)FJ (J = 1, 2, 3, 4) transition of Eu(3+) ions. Spectra indicate that Bi(3+) ions occupy two nonequivalent sites in the MgY2Si3O10 matrix, namely, Bi(3+)(i) and Bi(3+)(ii). The two sites (Bi(3+)(i) and Bi(3+)(ii)) exhibit broad emission peaks at 411 nm and 490 nm, respectively. Efficient energy transfer between these two Bi(3+) sites has been proven using the spectra. The spectral overlap between the emission spectrum of Bi(3+) and the excitation spectrum of Eu(3+) allows for resonance-type energy transfer to occur from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+). The efficient energy transfer from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+)via a dipole-quadrupole interaction mechanism is significantly demonstrated by comparing experimental data with theoretical calculations. According to the concentration quenching-method, the critical distance of energy transfer from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+) is calculated to be 13.2 Å. As it is a new phosphor, CIE coordinates and CCT temperature, in addition to efficient energy transfer have been also investigated in detail. White light emission for MgY2Si3O10: n Bi(3+), m Eu(3+) can be realized through controlling the concentrations of Bi(3+) and Eu(3+). All of the results indicate that MgY2Si3O10: n Bi(3+), m Eu(3+) is a potential phosphor for white light UV-LEDs. PMID:25409734

In this project we studied both natural photosynthetic antenna complexes and various artificial systems (e.g. chlorophyll (Chl) trefoils) using high resolution hole-burning (HB) spectroscopy and excitonic calculations. Results obtained provided more insight into the electronic (excitonic) structure, inhomogeneity, electron-phonon coupling strength, vibrational frequencies, and excitation energy (or electron) transfer (EET) processes in several antennas and reaction centers. For example, our recent work provided important constraints and parameters for more advanced excitonic calculations of CP43, CP47, and PSII core complexes. Improved theoretical description of HB spectra for various model systems offers new insight into the excitonic structure and composition of low-energy absorption traps in very several antenna protein complexes and reaction centers. We anticipate that better understanding of HB spectra obtained for various photosynthetic complexes and their simultaneous fits with other optical spectra (i.e. absorption, emission, and circular dichroism spectra) provides more insight into the underlying electronic structures of these important biological systems. Our recent progress provides a necessary framework for probing the electronic structure of these systems via Hole Burning Spectroscopy. For example, we have shown that the theoretical description of non-resonant holes is more restrictive (in terms of possible site energies) than those of absorption and emission spectra. We have demonstrated that simultaneous description of linear optical spectra along with HB spectra provides more realistic site energies. We have also developed new algorithms to describe both nonresonant and resonant hole-burn spectra using more advanced Redfield theory. Simultaneous description of various optical spectra for complex biological system, e.g. artificial antenna systems, FMO protein complexes, water soluble protein complexes, and various mutants of reaction centers

Mouse blastocyst functions have been shown to be disrupted by in vitro exposure to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MeNU). After exposure, the chemically treated blastocysts were transferred to the uteri of pseudopregnant surrogate mothers. Implantation rate and birth rate have been shown previously to decrease in a concentration-dependent manner. Because of the large progressive decrease in the 50% effective concentration (EC50) for cytotoxicity, implantation rate, and live birth rate, we have investigated the midgestational effects of preimplantation exposure to MeNU after the transfer of treated embryos to surrogate mothers. A concentration-dependent decrease in normal implantation and a concurrent concentration-dependent increase in resorption number was observed in surrogates sacrificed at gestational age day 12 or day 15. Gross malformations were significantly increased by preimplantation exposure, in vitro, to MeNU. Fetal body length did not differ between fetuses developed from solvent-treated blastocysts and those that developed from natural pregnancies (nontransferred control) at either gestational age examined. Fetal body length was significantly shorter in fetuses developed from MeNU-treated blastocysts. Images PMID:3866250

Super growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has emerged as a unique method for synthesizing self-assembled, pristine, aligned SWNT materials composed of ultra-long (millimeter-long) nanotubes. This thesis focuses on novel routes of synthesizing such self-assembled SWNTs and the challenges that arise in integrating this material into next-generation applications. First of all, this work provides unique insight into growth termination of aligned SWNTs, emphasizing the mechanism that inhibits the growth of infinitely long nanotubes. Exhaustive real-time growth studies, combined with ex-situ and in-situ TEM characterization emphasizes that Ostwald ripening and subsurface diffusion of catalyst particles play a key role in growth termination. As a result, rational steps to solving this problem can enhance growth, and may ultimately lead to the meter or kilometer-long SWNTs that are necessary for a number of applications. In addition, other novel synthesis routes are discussed, such as the ability to form macroscopic fibrils of SWNTs, called "flying carpets" from 40 nm thick substrates, and the ability to achieve supergrowth of SWNTs that are controllably doped with nitrogen. In the latter case, molecular heterojunctions of doped and undoped sections in a single strand of ultralong SWNTs are demonstrated Secondly, as supergrowth is conducted on alumina coated SiO2 substrates, any applications will require that one can transfer the SWNTs to host surfaces with minimal processing. This work demonstrates a unique contact transfer route by which both patterned arrays of SWNTs, or homogenous SWNT carpets, can be transferred to any host surface. In the first case, the SWNTs are grown vertically aligned, and transferred in patterns of horizontally aligned SWNT. This transfer process relies on simple water-vapor etching of amorphous carbons at the catalyst following growth, and strong van der Waals adhesion of the high surface-area SWNT to host surfaces (gecko effect

Branch migration of Holliday junction (HJ) DNA in solution is a spontaneous conformational change between multiple discrete states. We applied single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurement to three-state branch migration. The photon-based variational Bayes-hidden Markov model (VB-HMM) method was applied to fluorescence signals to reproduce the state transition trajectories and evaluate the transition parameters, such as transition rate. The upper limit of time resolution suggested in simulation was nearly achieved for the state dynamics with relatively small FRET changes, and the distinctions in the populations of different states were successfully retrieved. We also discuss the suitability of the HJ as a standard sample for smFRET dynamics measurements and data analysis. PMID:26687325

Background: There is no doubt that luteal phase support is essential to enhance the reproductive outcome in IVF cycles. In addition to progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin, several studies have described GnRH agonists as luteal phase support to improve implantation rate, pregnancy rate and live birth rate, whereas other studies showed dissimilar conclusions. All of these studies have been done in fresh IVF cycles. Objective: To determine whether an additional GnRH agonist administered at the time of implantation for luteal phase support in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) improves the embryo developmental potential. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective controlled trial study in 200 FET cycles, patients were randomized on the day of embryo transfer into group 1 (n=100) to whom a single dose of GnRH agonist (0.1 mg triptorelin) was administered three days after transfer and group 2 (n=100), who did not receive agonist. Both groups received daily vaginal progesterone suppositories plus estradiol valerate 6 mg daily. Primary outcome measure was clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary outcome measures were implantation rate, chemical, ongoing pregnancy rate and abortion rate. Results: A total of 200 FET cycles were analyzed. Demographic data and embryo quality were comparable between two groups. No statistically significant difference in clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates was observed between the two groups (26% versus 21%, p=0.40 and 21% versus 17%, p=0.37, respectively). Conclusion: Administration of a subcutaneous GnRH agonist at the time of implantation does not increase clinical or ongoing pregnancy. PMID:26568750

The production of cloned animals by the transfer of a differentiated somatic cell into an enucleated oocyte circumvents fertilization. During fertilization, the sperm delivers a sperm-specific phospholipase C (PLCZ) that is responsible for triggering Ca(2)(+) oscillations and oocyte activation. During bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), oocyte activation is artificially achieved by combined chemical treatments that induce a monotonic rise in intracellular Ca(2)(+) and inhibit either phosphorylation or protein synthesis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that activation of bovine nuclear transfer embryos by PLCZ improves nuclear reprogramming. Injection of PLCZ cRNA into bovine SCNT units induced Ca(2)(+) oscillations similar to those observed after fertilization and supported high rates of blastocyst development similar to that seen in embryos produced by IVF. Furthermore, gene expression analysis at the eight-cell and blastocyst stages revealed a similar expression pattern for a number of genes in both groups of embryos. Lastly, levels of trimethylated lysine 27 at histone H3 in blastocysts were higher in bovine nuclear transfer embryos activated using cycloheximide and 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) than in those activated using PLCZ or derived from IVF. These results demonstrate that exogenous PLCZ can be used to activate bovine SCNT-derived embryos and support the hypothesis that a fertilization-like activation response can enhance some aspects of nuclear reprogramming. PMID:19074500

The low success rate of animal cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is believed to be associated with epigenetic errors including abnormal DNA hypermethylation. Recently, we elucidated by using round spermatids that, after nuclear transfer, treatment of zygotes with trichostatin A (TSA), an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, can remarkably reduce abnormal DNA hypermethylation depending on the origins of transferred nuclei and their genomic regions [S. Kishigami, N. Van Thuan, T. Hikichi, H. Ohta, S. Wakayama. E. Mizutani, T. Wakayama, Epigenetic abnormalities of the mouse paternal zygotic genome associated with microinsemination of round spermatids, Dev. Biol. (2005) in press]. Here, we found that 5-50 nM TSA-treatment for 10 h following oocyte activation resulted in more efficient in vitro development of somatic cloned embryos to the blastocyst stage from 2- to 5-fold depending on the donor cells including tail tip cells, spleen cells, neural stem cells, and cumulus cells. This TSA-treatment also led to more than 5-fold increase in success rate of mouse cloning from cumulus cells without obvious abnormality but failed to improve ES cloning success. Further, we succeeded in establishment of nuclear transfer-embryonic stem (NT-ES) cells from TSA-treated cloned blastocyst at a rate three times higher than those from untreated cloned blastocysts. Thus, our data indicate that TSA-treatment after SCNT in mice can dramatically improve the practical application of current cloning techniques.

A 5 years-old girl, seriously burnt with fire, was first hospitalized during four days in an hospital at Alger, and then transferred to our hospital at Paris. Admitted in our intensive care burns unit, she was third degree burnt on 78% of total body surface area, already treated with imipenem and vancomycin at her arrival. Clinical aggravation was rapidly observed and death occurred within 24 hours. Cultures of blood and multiple wound swabs yielded 3 multi-drug resistant bacterial strains: Acinetobacter baumannii with carbapenemase OXA-23, Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype O11 with metallo-ß-lactamase VIM-4 and Klebsiella pneumoniae with CTX-M-15 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase. Culture of a rectal swab showed colonization by Enterococcus faecium with vanA glycopeptides resistance. Patients colonized with one or two multi-drug-resistant strains were not rare in our burns unit, especially those transferred from Algeria, but this case of a single patient harboring four multi-drug-resistant strains is exceptional. PMID:26550534

We have investigated the charge transfer mechanism in single crystals of DTBDT-TCNQ and DTBDT-F4TCNQ (where DTBDT is dithieno[2,3-d;2',3'-d'] benzo[1,2-b;4,5-b']dithiophene) using a combination of near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and density functional theory calculations (DFT) including final state effects beyond the sudden state approximation. In particular, we find that a description that considers the partial screening of the electron-hole Coulomb correlation on a static level as well as the rearrangement of electronic density shows excellent agreement with experiment and allows to uncover the details of the charge transfer mechanism in DTBDT-TCNQ and DTBDT-F4 TCNQ, as well as a reinterpretation of previous NEXAFS data on pure TCNQ. Finally, we further show that almost the same quality of agreement between theoretical results and experiment is obtained by the much faster Z+1/2 approximation, where the core hole effects are simulated by replacing N or F with atomic number Z with the neighboring atom with atomic number Z+1/2.

Single-phase Ba10-x-y(PO4)6O:xEu2+,yMn2+ samples with apatite structure have been synthesized via a solid-state reaction method. The phase structure, luminescence properties, lifetime, PL thermal stability, as well as fluorescence decay curves of the samples were investigated. Effective energy transfer occurs from Eu2+ to Mn2+ in Ba10(PO4)6O and a possible mechanism of the energy-transfer from Eu2+ to Mn2+ is proposed. The critical distances Rc was calculated by concentration quenching and turned out to be about 0.817 nm (xc=0.21). The CIE and thermally stable luminescence behaviors of Ba9.94(PO4)6O:0.06Eu2+ phosphor were also studied in detail. All the results indicate that Ba10-x-y(PO4)6O:xEu2+, yMn2+ phosphors have potential applications as near UV-convertible phosphors for white light-emitting diodes.

A bio-compatible disposable organic humidity sensor has been fabricated that can be transferred to any arbitrary target surface. Single cell thick onion membrane has been used as the substrate while it also doubles as the active layer of the sensor. Two different types of sensors were fabricated. In type-1, the membrane was fixed into a plastic frame with IDT patterns on one side while the other side was also exposed to environment. In type-2, onion membrane was attached to a glass substrate with one side exposed to environment having an IDT screen-printed on top of it. The electrical output response of the sensors showed their ability to detect relative humidity between 0% RH and 80% RH with stable response and good sensitivity. The impedance of the sensors changed from 16 MΩ to 2 MΩ for type-1 and 6 MΩ to 20 KΩ for type-2. The response times of type-1 and type-2 were ~1 and 1.5 seconds respectively. The recovery times were ~10.75 seconds and ~11.25 seconds for type-1 and type-2 respectively. The device was successfully transferred to various randomly shaped surfaces without damaging the device. PMID:27436586

A bio-compatible disposable organic humidity sensor has been fabricated that can be transferred to any arbitrary target surface. Single cell thick onion membrane has been used as the substrate while it also doubles as the active layer of the sensor. Two different types of sensors were fabricated. In type-1, the membrane was fixed into a plastic frame with IDT patterns on one side while the other side was also exposed to environment. In type-2, onion membrane was attached to a glass substrate with one side exposed to environment having an IDT screen-printed on top of it. The electrical output response of the sensors showed their ability to detect relative humidity between 0% RH and 80% RH with stable response and good sensitivity. The impedance of the sensors changed from 16 MΩ to 2 MΩ for type-1 and 6 MΩ to 20 KΩ for type-2. The response times of type-1 and type-2 were ~1 and 1.5 seconds respectively. The recovery times were ~10.75 seconds and ~11.25 seconds for type-1 and type-2 respectively. The device was successfully transferred to various randomly shaped surfaces without damaging the device.

A bio-compatible disposable organic humidity sensor has been fabricated that can be transferred to any arbitrary target surface. Single cell thick onion membrane has been used as the substrate while it also doubles as the active layer of the sensor. Two different types of sensors were fabricated. In type-1, the membrane was fixed into a plastic frame with IDT patterns on one side while the other side was also exposed to environment. In type-2, onion membrane was attached to a glass substrate with one side exposed to environment having an IDT screen-printed on top of it. The electrical output response of the sensors showed their ability to detect relative humidity between 0% RH and 80% RH with stable response and good sensitivity. The impedance of the sensors changed from 16 MΩ to 2 MΩ for type-1 and 6 MΩ to 20 KΩ for type-2. The response times of type-1 and type-2 were ~1 and 1.5 seconds respectively. The recovery times were ~10.75 seconds and ~11.25 seconds for type-1 and type-2 respectively. The device was successfully transferred to various randomly shaped surfaces without damaging the device. PMID:27436586

Lanthanide II organometallic complexes usually initiate reactions via a single-electron transfer (SET) from the metal to a bonded substrate. Extensive mechanistic studies were carried out for lanthanide III complexes in which no change of oxidation state is involved. Some case-dependent strategies were reported by our group in order to account for a SET event in organometallic computed studies. In the present study, we show that analysis of DFT orbital spectra allows differentiating between exothermic and endothermic electron transfer. This methodology appears to be general; it allows differentiating between lanthanide centers and substituent effects on metallocenes. For that purpose, we considered mainly various samarocene adducts as well as a SmI2 complex explicitly solvated by THF. Comparison between DFT methods and ab initio (CAS-SCF and HF) computational level revealed that the SOMO-LUMO gap computed at the DFT B3PW91 level, in combination with small-core RECPs and standard basis sets, offers a qualitative estimation of the energetics of the SET that is in line with both CAS-SCF calculations and experimental results when available. This orbital-based approach, based on DFT calculation, affords a fast and efficient methodology for pioneer exploration of the reactivity of lanthanide(II) mediated by SET. PMID:24620762

A series of single-component Ce(3+), Li(+), Mn(2+) ions codoped color-tunable CaSr2Al2O6 phosphors were synthesized by a high-temperature solid-state reaction, and the photoluminescence properties as well as the energy transfer mechanism from Ce(3+) to Mn(2+) ions have been investigated in detail. The Ce(3+) activated phosphors have strong absorption in the range of 250-420 nm and can give a blue emission centered at about 460 nm. When Mn(2+) ions are codoped, the emission of CaSr2Al2O6:Ce(3+), Li(+), Mn(2+) phosphors can be tuned from blue to red through adjusting the doping concentration of the Mn(2+) ions, under the irradiation of 358 nm. When the concentration of Mn(2+) is increased to 0.02, a warm-white light can be obtained with good CIE coordinates of (0.388, 0.323) and a low CCT of 3284 K. The energy transfer mechanism from the Ce(3+) to Mn(2+) ions is demonstrated to be a quadrupole-quadrupole interaction based on the analysis of the decay curves of the phosphors. The thermal quenching stability was also investigated. The results indicate that CaSr2Al2O6:Ce(3+), Li(+), Mn(2+) samples might have potential applications in w-LEDs. PMID:24968122

A novel single-composition Ca4(PO4)2O:Ce(3+),Eu(2+) phosphor emitting white light was synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction for light-emitting diode applications. X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectra, and luminescence decay spectra were used to characterize the samples. Energy transfer from Ce(3+) to Eu(2+) ions was observed in the co-doped samples, and the transfer mechanism in the Ca4(PO4)2O:Ce(3+),Eu(2+) phosphors was dipole-dipole interaction. The emission hue of Ca4(PO4)2O:Ce(3+),Eu(2+) was found to vary from blue (0.165, 0.188) to white (0.332, 0.300) and eventually to orange (0.519, 0.366) by precisely controlling the ratio of Ce(3+) to Eu(2+). The combination of a 380 nm near-ultraviolet chip with a Ca4(PO4)2O:0.02Ce(3+),0.012Eu(2+) phosphor produced a diode emitting white light with ultra-wideband emission and a correlated color temperature of 4124 K. Overall, results indicated that the prepared samples may be potentially applied in white-light-emitting diodes. PMID:26017804

Single-well injection-withdrawal (SWIW) tracer tests involve injection of traced fluid and subsequent tracer recovery from the same well, usually with some quiescent time between the injection and withdrawal periods. SWIW are insensitive to variations in advective processes that arise from formation heterogeneities, because upon withdrawal, fluid parcels tend to retrace the paths taken during injection. However, SWIW are sensitive to diffusive processes, such as diffusive exchange of conservative or reactive solutes between fractures and rock matrix. This paper focuses on SWIW tests in which temperature itself is used as a tracer. Numerical simulations demonstrate the sensitivity of temperature returns to fracture-matrix interaction. We consider thermal SWIW response to the two primary reservoir improvements targeted with stimulation, (1) making additional fractures accessible to injected fluids, and (2) increasing the aperture and permeability of pre-existing fractures. It is found that temperature returns in SWIW tests are insensitive to (2), while providing a strong signal of more rapid temperature recovery during the withdrawal phase for (1).

The efficiency of organic photodetectors and optoelectronic devices is strongly limited by exciton diffusion, in particular for acceptor materials. Although mechanisms for exciton diffusion are well established, their correlation to molecular organization in real systems has received far less attention. In this report, organic single-crystals interfaces were probed with wavelength-dependent photocurrent spectroscopy and their crystal structure resolved using X-ray diffraction. All systems present a dynamic photoresponse, faster than 500 ms, up to 650 nm. A relationship between molecular organization and favorable exciton diffusion in substituted butyl-perylenediimides (PDIB) is established. This is demonstrated by a set of PDIBs with different intra- and interstack distances and short contacts and their impact on photoresponse. Given the short packing distances between PDIs cores along the same stacking direction (3.4-3.7 Å), and across parallel stacks (2.5 Å), singlet exciton in these PDIBs can follow both Förster and Dexter exciton diffusion, with the Dexter-type mechanism assuming special relevance for interstack exciton diffusion. Yet, the response is maximized in substituted PDIBs, where a 2D percolation network is formed through strong interstack contacts, allowing for PDIBs primary excitons to reach with great efficiency the splitting interface with crystalline rubrene. The importance of short contacts and molecular distances, which is often overlooked as a parameter to consider and optimize when choosing materials for excitonic devices, is emphasized. PMID:26599347

By exploring the reactivity of sodium butyl-magnesiate (1) supported by the bulky chelating silyl(bisamido) ligand {Ph2Si(NAr*)2}(2-) (Ar* = 2,6-iPr2-C6H3) towards Quinoxaline (Qx), the ability of this bimetallic system to effectively promote SET processes has been disclosed. Thus 1 executes the single-electron reduction of Qx affording complex (2) whose structure in the solid state contains two quinaxolyl radical anions Qx˙ stabilised within a dimeric magnesiate framework. Combining multinuclear NMR and EPR measurements with DFT calculations, new insights into the constitution of 2 in solution and its magnetic behaviour have been gained. Further evidence on the SET reactivity of 1 was found when it was reacted with nitroxyl radical TEMPO which furnished contacted ion pair sodium magnesiate [(Ph2Si(NAr*)2)Mg(TEMPO(-))Na(THF)3] (4) where both metals are connected by an alkoxide bridge, resulting from reduction of TEMPO. The role that the different ligands present in 1 can play in these new SET reactions has also been assessed. Using an amination approach, the Bu group in 1 can be replaced by the more basic amide TMP allowing the isolation of (3) which was characterised by multinuclear NMR and X-ray crystallography. (1)H NMR monitoring of the reaction of 3 with Qx showed its conversion to 2, leaving the hydrogen atoms of the heterocycle untouched. Contrastingly, using sodium homoalkyl magnesiate [NaMg(CH2SiMe3)3] (5) led to the chemoselective C2 alkylation of this heterocycle, suggesting that the presence of the steric stabiliser {Ph2Si(NAr*)2}(2-) on the mixed-metal reagent is required in order to facilitate the Qx reduction. PMID:26617325

Canine embryos (8-cell to blastocyst stages) frozen-thawed using the slow-freezing method with glycerol (four recipients) or dimethyl sulfoxide (three recipients) as a cryoprotectant and vitrified-warmed using the Cryotop method (five recipients) were surgically transferred into the unilateral uterine horn of recipient bitches. As a result, the morphology of embryos frozen-thawed using the slow-freezing method was judged to be normal, but no conception occurred in any of the recipient bitches. Two of the five bitches that received transferred embryos (morula to early blastocyst stages) vitrified-warmed using the Cryotop method became pregnant and produced normal pups (1/9 embryos, 11.1% and 1/6 embryos, 17.0%). It was concluded that the Cryotop method was more appropriate for canine embryo cryopreservation than the slow-freezing method, which is used for the cryopreservation of embryos of other mammalian species. PMID:27041356

Canine embryos (8-cell to blastocyst stages) frozen-thawed using the slow-freezing method with glycerol (four recipients) or dimethyl sulfoxide (three recipients) as a cryoprotectant and vitrified-warmed using the Cryotop method (five recipients) were surgically transferred into the unilateral uterine horn of recipient bitches. As a result, the morphology of embryos frozen-thawed using the slow-freezing method was judged to be normal, but no conception occurred in any of the recipient bitches. Two of the five bitches that received transferred embryos (morula to early blastocyst stages) vitrified-warmed using the Cryotop method became pregnant and produced normal pups (1/9 embryos, 11.1% and 1/6 embryos, 17.0%). It was concluded that the Cryotop method was more appropriate for canine embryo cryopreservation than the slow-freezing method, which is used for the cryopreservation of embryos of other mammalian species. PMID:27041356

Frozen embryo transfer cycles are now common practice, however, various aspects regarding the potential of frozen embryos remain unclear. The main goal of the present study was to assess embryo quality before and after slow freezing procedure, and more specifically blastomere loss and embryo quality as indicator of viability. A single center retrospective analysis of single frozen-thawed embryo replacements (s-FER) was performed. The embryo quality before and after slow freezing and thawing, implantation, and pregnancy rates were recorded. One hundred and twenty seven s-FER were included in the final analysis. The probability of achieving an ongoing pregnancy was significantly associated with embryo quality and the percentage of blastomere loss after thawing. Considering thawed embryos, a non-significant difference in term of implantation rate was observed, regardless to their post-thawing quality and the percentage of blastomeres loss. In conclusion, current data suggest that thawed embryos are capable of implantation regardless of their morphological quality and the degree of cryoinjury sustained. PMID:27288335

The single-pass modulation transfer function (MTF(sgl)) is an important numerical parameter that can help elucidate the performance and some processes of the human visual system. In previous studies, the MTF(sgl) was calculated from double-pass point spread function (PSF) measurements. These measurements include a depolarized reflection component from the retina that introduces a measurement artifact, and they require long acquisition times to allow averaging to reduce speckle. To solve these problems, we developed a new ocular PSF analysis system (PSFAS) that uses polarization optics to eliminate the depolarized retinal reflection component, and a rotating prism to increase measurement speed. Validation experiments on one patient showed that the MTF(sgl) measured by PSFAS agrees closely with the MTF calculated from contrast sensitivity measurements. A simulated retinal image was calculated by convolution of Landolt rings with the calculated single-pass PSF provided by the PSFAS. The contrast characteristic then was calculated from the simulated retinal images. These results indicate that the MTF(sgl) obtained using the PSFAS may be a reliable measure of visual performance of the optics of the eye, including the optical effects of the retina. The simulated retinal images and contrast characteristics are useful for evaluating visual performance. PMID:14715068

Embryo transfer (ET) to recipient females is a foundational strategy for a number of assisted reproductive technologies, including cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer. In an attempt to develop efficient ET in domestic ferrets, factors affecting development of transferred embryo were investigated. Unilateral and bilateral transfer of zygotes or blastocysts in the oviduct or uterus was evaluated in recipient nulliparous or primiparous females. Developing fetuses were collected from recipient animals 21 days post-copulation and examined. The percentage of fetal formation was different (P<0.05) for unilateral and bilateral transfer of zygotes (71%) in nulliparous females with bilateral transfer (56%) in primiparous recipients. The percentage (90%) of fetal formation in nulliparous recipients following unilateral transfer of blastocysts was higher (P<0.05) than that observed in primiparous recipients with bilateral ET (73%). Notably, the percentage of fetal formation was higher (P<0.05) when blastocyts were transferred as compared to zygotes (90% versus 71%). Transuterine migration of embryos occurred following all unilateral transfers and also in approximately 50% of bilateral transfers with different number of embryos in each uterine horn. These data will help to facilitate the development of assisted reproductive strategies in the ferret and could lead to the use of this species for modeling human disease and for conservation of the endangered Mustelidae species such as black-footed ferret and European mink. PMID:16330092

In the present study, replicated paddy microcosm systems were used to investigate the environmental fate and trophic transfer of titanium nanoparticles (NPs) over a period of 14 days. Most TiO2 NPs immediately settled down in the sediment, and high accumulations of nano TiO2 in the sandy loam sediment and biofilm were observed. The test organisms (quillworts, water dropworts, duckweeds, biofilms, river snails, and Chinese muddy loaches) and environmental media (freshwater, sandy loam sediment) were exposed to sequential low doses (2 mg/L at 1 h, 4 days, and 9 days) or a single high-dose (6 mg/L) of TiO2 NPs. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of nano-TiO2 in biofilms, quillworts, duckweeds, and Chinese muddy loaches were higher in the sequential multi-dose group than in the single-dose group. Chinese muddy loaches showed higher bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) over their prey than river snails. The difference in the carbon isotope ratios between Chinese muddy loaches and river snails was less than 2‰, and an approximately 4‰ difference in the stable nitrogen isotope ratio was observed in the two aquatic predators from their major prey (e.g., biofilms or particulate organic matter). The trophic levels between biofilms and river snails and between biofilms and Chinese muddy loaches were 2.8 and 2.4 levels, respectively. These results indicate that these two predators consumed biofilm and other alternative preys at a higher level than biofilm. Although the trophic transfer rates of TiO2 are generally low, relatively higher biomagnification factors (BMFs) were found in Chinese muddy loaches (0.04-0.05) than in river snails (0.01-0.02). These results suggest that TiO2 NPs show greater movement in the sediment than in the water and that TiO2 NPs can be retained through aquatic food chains more after a sequential low-dose exposure than after a single high-dose exposure. PMID:26854701

The anti-implantation potential of different fractions of Vitex negundo Linn leaf extract was evaluated in female Swiss Albino mice. Animals from different groups were dosed orally either with 0.2% agar (vehicle) or with fractions of V. negundo leaf extract (n-hexane, chloroform, n-butanol, and remnant fractions) at 10:00 a.m., from day 1 to day 6 of pregnancy. The pregnant females from each group were sacrificed on different days of pregnancy (n = 6), and uterus was excised and used for estimation of lipid peroxidation and assay of superoxide dismutase activity as a marker for blastocyst implantation. Animals treated with n-hexane fraction showed altered level of superoxide anion radical and superoxide dismutase activity as compared to control animals. The probable mechanism by which this extract exhibits inhibition of blastocyst implantation is through the anti-inflammatory and antiestrogenic potential. PMID:27351007

The aim of the study was the preliminary development of laparoscopic transfer of embryos to the uterus in the pig, which can become the alternative for more invasive surgical methods. We proposed the original method of embryo transfer. Donors (n = 40) and recipients (n = 15) of embryos were sows of age of 6-8 months. The estrus cycle of both recipients and donors was routinely synchronized. The experimental animals were divided into two groups. In the first group (10 donors and 3 recipients) embryos were transplanted according to the method described earlier and in the second group (30 donors and 12 recipients) embryos were transplanted according to our own proposed method. As the control group, we used 16 sows after insemination (AI). In animals from both experimental groups pregnancy was diagnosed between 28-31 day after transplantation and in the control group between 28-31 day after insemination. All animals were observed during pregnancy and weaning period in pig farm. Embryos at the development stage of 2-4 cell were obtained surgically and cultured in vitro for 4 days. Obtained blastocysts were transferred to donors. The original set of catheters for blastocyststransfer to pig uterus was constructed. Three trocars were placed in abdominal cavity for inserting endoscope and 2 grasps for uterus stabilization. After uterus stabilization, the slide was inserted into abdomen which was used for putting the needle to puncture uterus. Through this needle catheter with embryos was inserted into the uterus cavity. Embryos were placed by injection into lumen of the one uterine horn. From 12 recipients pregnancy was diagnosed in 6 recipients. From 6 litters, 57 piglets were born. We weaned 41 piglets (71.9%). In our study we obtained 50% efficacy, with the mean number of 9.5 alive piglets in litter and 6.8 weaned piglets. The efficacy of developed method of laparoscopic transfer of porcine embryos allows it to be used in routine practice. PMID:26172194

Electron transfer processes from semiconductor to molecular catalysts was studied in a model hybrid photocatalytic hydrogen evolution system composed of [Co((III))(dmgH)2PyCl] (CoPy) and CdS under different pH conditions. Thermodynamic and kinetic studies revealed that photocatalytic H2 evolution under high pH conditions (pH 13.5) can only account for the thermodynamically more favorable single-step simultaneous two-electron transfer from photoirradiated CdS to Co(III)Py to produce unavoidable intermediate Co(I)Py, rather than a two-step successive one-electron transfer process. This finding not only provides new insight into the charge transfer processes between semiconductors and molecular catalysts but also opens up a new avenue for the assembly and optimization of semiconductor-molecular catalyst hybrid systems processed through multielectron transfer processes. PMID:27529565

Although in vitro fertilization (IVF), one of the most effective and successful assisted reproductive technologies, is widely used for treating infertility and in animal breeding, increasing evidence indicates that IVF offspring are linked to various short- or long-term consequences. Erroneous epigenetic modifications induced by IVF are suspected of contributing to these consequences. Among these epigenetic modifications, microRNAs may affect embryo implantation and early postimplantation development. Here, we performed comparative microRNA profiling between in vivo-fertilized (IVO group) and in vitro-fertilized (IVF group) mouse embryos at Embryonic Day 3.5 (E3.5) and E7.5. Our dynamic analyses showed that the dysregulated microRNAs were mainly associated with the regulation of genes involved in carcinogenesis, genetic information processing, glucose metabolism, cytoskeleton organization, and neurogenesis. Further analysis showed that miR-199a-5p was consistently downregulated in IVF embryos compared with their IVO counterparts. Through gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we demonstrated that IVF-induced downregulation of miR-199a-5p results in a higher glycolytic rate and lower developmental potential of IVF blastocysts, including cell lineage misallocation and lower fetal survival post implantation. Therefore, preventing downregulation of miR-199a-5p may become an effective strategy for improving the development of IVF peri-implantation embryos in the future. PMID:27488027

The aim of this study was to assess whether a cell permeable superoxide dismutase agent such as MnTE, can further improve the quality of frozen/thawed semen sample using a commercially optimized sperm cryopreservation media (Bioxcell). Bioxcell was supplemented with different concentration of MnTE. Sperm membrane integrity, motility, viability and acrosomal status were assessed after freezing. Optimized concentration of MnTE was defined and used to assess fertilization and developmental potential. 0.1 μM MnTE significantly improved membrane integrity while 0.01 μM MnTE significantly improved acrosomal integrity post thawing. Addition of 0.01 μM MnTE also improved blastocyst formation rate. Supplementation of commercially optimized cryopreservation media with MnTE further improves the quality of goat frozen semen sample and may have important consequence of future embryo development. This effect may be attributed to cell permeable behavior of this antioxidant which may protect sperm genome from ROS-induced DNA damage. PMID:23981864

Experiments were conducted to investigate the factors affecting the survival of bovine blastocysts produced in vitro after cryopreservation by vitrification. Zygotes were obtained by in vitro maturation and fertilization of oocytes. Embryos used in this study were developed in vitro at Day 7 and 8 (Day 0 = insemination day) in modified synthetic oviduct fluid medium supplemented with calf serum or BSA. Embryos were cryopreserved in a two-step protocol consisting of exposure to 10% ethylene glycol for 5 min, followed by the original vitrification solution (designated as VS) consisting of 40% (v/v) ethylene glycol, 6% (w/v) polyethylene glycol and 0.5 M sucrose in phosphate-buffered saline for 1 min. After warming, embryos were cultured in modified TCM-199 for an in vitro survival assay. The highest survival rate was obtained from the warmed embryos developed at Day 7 in medium supplemented with BSA (82.6%), and there were significant differences between results with calf scrum and BSA treatment (42.4 and 70.7%, respectively; P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in the cell numbers of embryos among the treatments. These results suggest that the survival of embryos developed in medium with BSA is superior to that of embryos developed in medium containing calf serum, although the cell numbers of the embryos developed under both media were similar. PMID:16728072

Ginsenoside Rg1 is a natural compound with various efficacies and functions. It has beneficial effects on aging, diabetes, and immunity, as well as antioxidant and proliferative functions. However, its effect on porcine embryo development remains unknown. We investigated the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the in vitro development of preimplantation porcine embryos after parthenogenetic activation in high-oxygen conditions. Ginsenoside treatment did not affect cleavage or blastocyst formation rates, but did increase the total cell number and reduced the rate of apoptosis. In addition, it had no effect on the expression of four apoptosis-related genes (Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer, B-cell lymphoma-extra large, Caspase 3, and tumor protein p53) or two metabolism-related genes (mechanistic target of rapamycin, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1B), but increased the expression of Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), indicating that it may increase glucose uptake. In summary, treatment with the appropriate concentration of ginsenoside Rg1 (20 μg/mL) can increase glucose uptake, thereby improving the quality of embryos grown in high-oxygen conditions. PMID:26954154

Since 2007, a permanent magnetotelluric (MT) monitoring station has been working in the seismic area of the Agri Valley (Basilicata region, southern Italy) in order to investigate the stability of the MT transfer function. The station was installed in a rural area near the supposed seismogenic fault of the strong earthquake (Mw = 6.9) that struck the Agri Valley in 1857. Analysing about 4 yr of MT data characterized by a low seismic activity, the long-term systematic variations of robust single station MT transfer function estimates were observed in two different sounding period ranges. First, a significant seasonal component of variability for short periods was noted; these short periods were up to 16 s and were linked to variations in wetting/drying of soil moisture in the shallower layers. Second, a connection between the monitored estimates and global geomagnetic activity, Ap index, was found, particularly in the [20-100 s] period range. Analysing remote reference results and tipper estimates in shorter monitoring window, it was shown that such effect cannot be explained by a local or incoherent noise, and a large-scale coherent source should be claimed. We show that this effect is subtle because it produces smooth estimates, satisfying the dispersion relationship between apparent resistivity and phase, with small error bars. As the global geomagnetic activity level increases, robust estimators, like the median value, can be considered as a representative of the estimates due to the natural source, and they tend to stabilize when the Ap index approaches 10. It is also worth noting that our monitored time window includes the recent global minimum of solar activity which occurred in 2009, thus enhancing the estimate dependence on the Ap index.

The present study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of producing pig transgenic blastocysts expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) and to examine the effects of shape and preparation methods of donor cells on in vitro developmental ability of pig nuclear transferred embryos (NTEs). In experiment 1, the effect of GFP transfection on development of pig NTEs was evaluated. The cleavage and blastocyst rates showed no significant difference between NTEs derived from transfected and non-transfected donors. In experiment 2, the effect of different nuclear donor preparation methods on in vitro development of NTEs was examined. The cleavage rate showed no statistically significant differences among three preparation methods. The blastocyst rates of donor cells treated once at -4 degrees C and those of freshly digested cells were similar to each other (26.3% vs 17.9%). The lowest blastocyst rates (5.88%) were observed when cells cryopreserved at -196 degrees C were used as donors. In experiment 3, the effect of different cell cycle synchronization methods on the in vitro development potential of pig NTEs was evaluated. The cleavage rate of NTEs derived from cycling cells was much better than that of NTEs derived from serum-starved cells (64.4% vs 50.5%, p < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the the blastocyst rates of the two groups. In experiment 4, the effect of different shapes of cultured fibroblast cells on the in vitro development of pig NTEs was examined. The fusion rate for couplets derived from rough cells was poorer than that observed in couplets derived from round smooth cells (47.8% vs 76.8%, p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences observed in the cleavage rate and blastocyst rate. In conclusion, the present study indicated that (i) refrigerated pig GFP-transfected cells could be used as donors in nuclear transfer and these NTEs could be effectively developed to blastocyst stage; (ii) serum starvation

Super growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has emerged as a unique method for synthesizing self-assembled, pristine, aligned SWNT materials composed of ultra-long (millimeter-long) nanotubes. This thesis focuses on novel routes of synthesizing such self-assembled SWNTs and the challenges that arise in integrating this material into next-generation applications. First of all, this work provides unique insight into growth termination of aligned SWNTs, emphasizing the mechanism that inhibits the growth of infinitely long nanotubes. Exhaustive real-time growth studies, combined with ex-situ and in-situ TEM characterization emphasizes that Ostwald ripening and subsurface diffusion of catalyst particles play a key role in growth termination. As a result, rational steps to solving this problem can enhance growth, and may ultimately lead to the meter or kilometer-long SWNTs that are necessary for a number of applications. In addition, other novel synthesis routes are discussed, such as the ability to form macroscopic fibrils of SWNTs, called "flying carpets" from 40 nm thick substrates, and the ability to achieve supergrowth of SWNTs that are controllably doped with nitrogen. In the latter case, molecular heterojunctions of doped and undoped sections in a single strand of ultralong SWNTs are demonstrated Secondly, as supergrowth is conducted on alumina coated SiO2 substrates, any applications will require that one can transfer the SWNTs to host surfaces with minimal processing. This work demonstrates a unique contact transfer route by which both patterned arrays of SWNTs, or homogenous SWNT carpets, can be transferred to any host surface. In the first case, the SWNTs are grown vertically aligned, and transferred in patterns of horizontally aligned SWNT. This transfer process relies on simple water-vapor etching of amorphous carbons at the catalyst following growth, and strong van der Waals adhesion of the high surface-area SWNT to host surfaces (gecko effect

In recent years we have witnessed a shift from qualitative image analysis towards higher resolution, quantitative analyses of imaging data in developmental biology. This shift has been fueled by technological advances in both imaging and analysis software. We have recently developed a tool for accurate, semi-automated nuclear segmentation of imaging data from early mouse embryos and embryonic stem cells. We have applied this software to the study of the first lineage decisions that take place during mouse development and established analysis pipelines for both static and time-lapse imaging experiments. In this paper we summarize the conclusions from these studies to illustrate how quantitative, single-cell level analysis of imaging data can unveil biological processes that cannot be revealed by traditional qualitative studies.

There is an association between the size of the cumulus investment and the in vitro developmental ability of the oocyte-cumulus complex (OCC) that provides a basis for the selection of OCCs. However, the value of selection is confounded by humoral interactions between OCCs that influence the development of OCCs of other grade(s). This study examined the effect of size of the cumulus investment (OCC grade) and the interactions between grades on the developmental ability of oocytes collected from the cow, ewe and lamb. OCCs were classified into A, B and C grades on visual assessment of the number of cumulus cell layers or left unselected (Unselected). In the cow, there were 669 +/- 228 to 4763 +/- 228 cells per OCC whereas comparable figures in the ewe and lamb were 593 +/- 252 to 3716 +/- 252 and 366 +/- 228 to 3263 +/- 228 respectively (A > Unselected > B > C; Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, OCCs were made to mature within grade and the efficiency of blastocyst production and blastocyst quality was compared with that obtained in the Unselected group. Grade was associated with significant (p < 0.05) differences in cleavage rate, blastocyst production rate and the mean number of nuclei per embryo (generally A > B > C across animal types). However, the performance of A grade OCCs in the cow and lamb did not differ significantly from that obtained in the Unselected group whereas in the ewe, A grade OCCs were significantly (p < 0.05) better. Furthermore, the performance of the Unselected group was significantly (p < 0.05) better than that of the combined grades (A + B + C) in the cow but there were no differences in either the ewe or lamb. It is concluded that (i) interactions between OCCs of different grade influence the developmental ability of OCCs in the cow and, to a lesser extent, the lamb, (ii) selection of OCCs in the cow and lamb would lead to the exclusion of many OCCs that have the ability to develop into blastocysts and (iii) selection in the ewe would

The environmental fate of phenols represents a diachronic scientific consideration mainly due to their high toxicity and diverse physicochemical properties rendering them difficult to be analyzed as unity. Ion-pair-assisted extraction and microextraction techniques in association with a dedicated derivatization reaction are possible to lead to enhanced selectivity and sensitivity in gas chromatography. Phase-transfer catalytic liquid-liquid extraction-derivatization and ion-pair-assisted single-drop microextraction with in-drop derivatization are successfully employed for the analysis of 15 phenolic compounds. The analytes that react at room temperature with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride into the bulk of the organic phase are subsequently determined by GC-MS in selective-ion monitoring mode. Aiming at maximizing the derivatization yields obtained from the 15 analytes in a reasonable time period, the optimum experimental parameters were established along with the figures of merit of the methods. The limits of detection ranged from 0.48 to 1.5 ng/ml and from 0.20 to 0.28 ng/ml respectively, while the limits of quantitation ranged from 1.4 to 4.5 ng/ml and from 0.59 to 0.84 ng/ml for the two methods with the techniques under study. The overall procedure presented satisfactory analytical features with the liquid-liquid extraction protocol being easier to carry out while the single-drop one, presented higher sensitivity and significant reduction of the organic solvent employed. By comparison with other methods for the analysis of phenols, the proposed methods exhibit adequately low detection limits, good precision, short derivatization time and low solvent, sample and reagent consumption. PMID:18378253

Graphene oxide (GO) based polymer nanocomposites have attracted extensive research interest recently for their outstanding physicochemical properties and potential applications. However, surface modification of GO with synthetic polymers has demonstrated to be trouble for most polymerization procedures are occurred under non-aqueous solution, which will in turn lead to the restacking of GO. In this work, a facile and efficient "one-pot" strategy has been developed for surface modification of GO with synthetic polymers through single-electron-transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP). The GO based polymer nanocomposites were obtained via SET-LRP in aqueous solution using poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) as the monomer and 11-bromoundecanoic acid as the initiator, which could be effectively adsorbed on GO through hydrophobic interaction. The successful preparation of GO based polymer nanocomposites was confirmed by a series of characterization techniques such as 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The resultant products exhibit high water disperisibility, excellent biocompatibility and high efficient drug loading capability, making these PEGylated GO nanocomposites promising candidates for biomedical applications.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the importance of a distal proximal contact on the load transfer to the posterior region of the mandible by non-splinted adjacent implant-supported crowns using photoelastic stress analysis. Material and Methods A rectangular model (68x30x15 mm) was made of polymethylmethacrylate resin to simulate half of the mandibular arch. One model was completed with resin replicas representing the first premolar and second molar and with two 3.75 mm dia.x11 mm internal hexagon threaded implants replacing the second premolar and first molar. The other model was manufactured in the same way but without the second molar. Both models were duplicated using photoelastic resin. The roots of the teeth replicas were covered with a layer of polyether impression material to simulate the periodontal ligament. Two different vertical loads were applied to the crowns as follows: 1 - single static point load alternately applied to the crowns replacing the second premolar and first molar (50 N); 2 - simultaneous static point loads applied to both of the crowns replacing the second premolar and first molar (100 N). The resulting isochromatic fringe pattern in the photoelastic model was monitored and photographed. Results All loading conditions studied showed that the presence of the second molar has changed the load transmission and the pattern of stresses. Conclusion Results showed that the presence of a second molar proximal contact can help minimize the stresses around the implants. PMID:24212984

A published review of the literature by Dutch investigators in 2004 suggested significant outcome differences between spontaneously - and in vitro fertilization (IVF) - conceived singleton and twin pregnancies. Here we review whether later studies between 2004-2015 confirmed these findings. Though methodologies of here reviewed studies varied, and all were retrospective, they overall confirmed results of the 2004 review, and supported significant outcome variances between spontaneously- and IVF-conceived pregnancies: IVF singletons demonstrate significantly poorer and IVF twins significantly better perinatal outcomes than spontaneously conceived singletons and twins, with differences stable over time, and with overall obstetrical outcomes significantly improved. Exaggerations of severe IVF twin risks are likely in the 50 % range, while exaggerations of milder perinatal risks are approximately in 25 % range. Though elective single embryo transfers (eSET) have been confirmed to reduce pregnancy chances, they are, nevertheless, increasingly utilized. eSET, equally unquestionably, however, reduces twin pregnancies. Because twin pregnancies have been alleged to increase outcome risks in comparison to singleton pregnancies, here reported findings should affect the ongoing discussion whether increased twin risks are factual. With no risk excess, eSET significantly reduces IVF pregnancy chances without compensatory benefits and, therefore, is not advisable in IVF, unless patients do not wish to conceive twins or have medical contraindications to conceiving twins. PMID:27142226

The rate of growth of single crystals from liquid solutions depends on coupled kinetic and transport phenomena. However, when continuum transport is limiting, the maximum crystal growth rate is determined by the rate of solute transport through the liquid phase to the growing crystal. We examine the validity of simple scaling and boundary layer theories to assess the behavior of a model solution crystal growth system, namely the growth of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) from high-temperature solutions. The approximation of the transport to a crystal rotating steadily in a supersaturated solution is based on the classical analytical solution for flow driven by a semi-infinite rotating disk and associated mass transfer. Our results indicate that this boundary layer analysis is reasonable as long as the solution container is very large, the geometry of the system is nearly axisymmetric, and the imposed flows are predominantly steady. For many practical systems, these conditions do not hold and such boundary layer analyses are expected to be in considerable error.

One-pot ketone synthesis has been developed with in situ activation of alkyl halides to alkylzinc halides in the presence of thioesters and Pd-catalyst. The new method provides us with a reliable option for a coupling at a late stage in a convergent synthesis of complex molecules, with use of a near 1:1 molar ratio of coupling partners. First, two facile, orthogonal methods have been developed for preparation of alkylzinc halides: (1) direct insertion of zinc dust to 1°- and 2°-alkyl halides in the presence of LiI in DMI and (2) early transition-metal assisted activation of alkyl halides via a single electron transfer (SET) process. CrCl2 has been found as an unprecedented, inevitable mediator for preparation of alkylzinc halides from alkyl halides, where CrCl2 likely functions to trap R·, generated via a SET process, and transfer it to Zn(II) to form RZnX. In addition to a commonly used CoPc, a new radical initiator NbCpCl4 has been discovered through the study. Second, with use of the two orthogonal methods, three sets of coupling conditions have been developed to complete one-pot ketone synthesis, with Condition A (Pd2dba3, PR3, Zn, LiI, TESCl, DMI), Condition B (A + CrCl2), and Condition C (B + NbCpCl4 or CoPc) being useful for simple linear and α-substituted substrates, simple linear and β-substituted substrates, and complex substrates, respectively. Condition C is applicable to the broadest range of substrates. Overall, one-pot ketone synthesis gives excellent yields, with good functional group tolerance. Controlled formation of alkylzinc halides by a combination of CrCl2 and NbCpCl4 or CoPc is crucial for its application to complex substrates. Interestingly, one-pot ketone synthesis does not suffer from the chemical instability due to the inevitable radical pathway(s), for example a 1,5-H shift. Notably, even with the increase in molecular size, no significant decrease in coupling efficiency has been noticed. To illustrate the synthetic value at a late

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of three different culture media on the development of canine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Canine cloned embryos were cultured in modified synthetic oviductal fluid (mSOF), porcine zygote medium-3 (PZM-3), or G1/G2 sequential media. Our results showed that the G1/G2 media yielded significantly higher morula and blastocyst development in canine SCNT embryos (26.1% and 7.8%, respectively) compared to PZM-3 (8.5% and 0%or mSOF (2.3% and 0%) media. In conclusion, this study suggests that blastocysts can be produced more efficiently using G1/G2 media to culture canine SCNT embryos. PMID:25549216

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of three different culture media on the development of canine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Canine cloned embryos were cultured in modified synthetic oviductal fluid (mSOF), porcine zygote medium-3 (PZM-3), or G1/G2 sequential media. Our results showed that the G1/G2 media yielded significantly higher morula and blastocyst development in canine SCNT embryos (26.1% and 7.8%, respectively) compared to PZM-3 (8.5% and 0%) or mSOF (2.3% and 0%) media. In conclusion, this study suggests that blastocysts can be produced more efficiently using G1/G2 media to culture canine SCNT embryos. PMID:25549216

Nuclear transfer (NT) into mouse oocytes yields a transcriptionally and functionally heterogeneous population of cloned embryos. Most studies of NT embryos consider only embryos at predefined key stages (e.g., morula or blastocyst), that is, after the bulk of reprogramming has taken place. These retrospective approaches are of limited use to elucidate mechanisms of reprogramming and to predict developmental success. Observing cloned embryo development using live embryo cinematography has the potential to reveal otherwise undetectable embryo features. However, light exposure necessary for live cell cinematography is highly toxic to cloned embryos. Here we describe a protocol for combined bright-field and fluorescence live-cell imaging of histone H2b-GFP expressing mouse embryos, to record cell divisions up to the blastocyst stage. This protocol, which can be adapted to observe other reporters such as Oct4-GFP or Nanog-GFP, allowed us to quantitatively analyze cleavage kinetics of cloned embryos. PMID:25287344

Expression analysis of mRNAs transcribed from certain genes can be used as important sources of biomarkers for in vitro diagnostics. While the use of reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) can provide excellent analytical sensitivity for monitoring transcript numbers, more sensitive approaches for expression analysis that can report results in near real-time are needed for many critical applications. We report a novel assay that can provide exquisite limits-of-quantitation and consists of reverse transcription (RT) followed by a ligase detection reaction (LDR) with single-pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer (spFRET) to provide digital readout through molecular counting. For this assay, no PCR was employed, which enabled short assay turnaround times. To facilitate implementation of the assay, a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) microchip, which was fabricated using hot embossing, was employed to carry out the LDR in a continuous flow format with online single-molecule detection following the LDR. As demonstrators of the assay's utility, MMP-7 mRNA was expression profiled from several colorectal cancer cell lines. It was found that the RT-LDR/spFRET assay produced highly linear calibration plots even in the low copy number regime. Comparison to RT-qPCR indicated a better linearity over the low copy number range investigated (10-10,000 copies) with an R(2) = 0.9995 for RT-LDR/spFRET and R(2) = 0.98 for RT-qPCR. In addition, differentiating between copy numbers of 10 and 50 could be performed with higher confidence using RT-LDR/spFRET. To demonstrate the short assay turnaround times obtainable using the RT-LDR/spFRET assay, a two thermal cycle LDR was carried out on amphiphysin gene transcripts that can serve as important diagnostic markers for ischemic stroke. The ability to supply diagnostic information on possible stroke events in short turnaround times using RT-LDR/spFRET will enable clinicians to treat patients effectively with appropriate time

We have developed a proof-of-concept quantum dot-ligand (QD-L) system for visual selective detection of nucleic acids, in combination with a ratiometric fluorescence technique. This system comprises a dual-emission QDs nanohybrid formed by embedding a red-emission QD (rQD) in a silica nanoparticle and electrostatically assembling green-emission QDs (gQDs) onto the silica surface, as the signal displaying unit, and a hydrophobic compound, dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz), attached onto the gQDs surface via phase transfer, as the ligand as well as fluorescence quencher of gQDs. This system is successfully used for quantification of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Because of its avid binding with dppz, dsDNA can break up the QD-L system, displacing the dppz ligand from the gQDs surface and restoring the gQDs emission. Since the red emission of embedded rQDs stays constant, variations of the dual-emission intensity ratios display continuous color changes from orange to bright green, which can be clearly observed by the naked eye. More importantly, this system is advantageous in terms of specificity over a QD ionic conjugate, because the electrical neutrality of dppz excludes its nonspecific electrostatic association with dsDNA. The QD-L system also is capable of detecting single-nucleotide polymorphism, exhibiting sequence-specific ratiometric fluorescence as a QD-bioconjugate does, but possessing the obvious advantage in terms of low cost, with the avoidance of modification, labeling, and purification processes. Therefore, the QD-L system provides an extremely simple but general strategy for detecting nucleic acids in a facile, sensitive, and specific manner. PMID:26752152